Turn2us hosts 'Jobcentre' parliamentary event

As part of our 'Stop the stigma. Fix the system' campaign, we are calling for Jobcentres to lead with trust, not suspicion. This means giving people time and support to prepare for work, instead of tick-box exercises and threatening sanctions that are proven not to work and are hugely damaging to trust in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). 

How we're influencing MPs 

On Tuesday 23 June we held an event in parliament, developed with our co-production partners, where MPs had the opportunity to get a glimpse of what it's like for millions of people who use the Jobcentre. 

Over 400 people took our campaign action, shared their own experiences of the Jobcentre or invited their MP to attend our event.

Actors took MPs through a typical Jobcentre interaction now and also our vision for a future where work coaches can build relationships, understand people's situation and ambitions, and provide personalised support. 

The event was designed to build understanding of the experiences people are having now, so we can work with MPs to make upcoming reforms and investment in employment support successful. 

The Milburn Review, Jobcentre Pathfinders, the rollout of new employment programmes and the digitalisation of the jobs and careers support all provide an opportunity to rebuild trust. Without restoring trust in the Jobcentre and the DWP, there is a risk of pushing people further away from employment and making tough times tougher. 

Jo, a Turn2us co-production partner who helped to design the event said: "We know that Jobcentres can often be quite negative and instead of encouraging people into appropriate jobs and helping them build their skills and confidence, it has the opposite effect. Today MPs can see that really it doesn't take much to make it a much better place for everybody, which is surely what the DWP wants to happen."

Shelley Hopkinson, Head of Policy and Influencing at Turn2us said: "It was fantastic to see MPs immersing themselves in the experience and discussing what needs to change to make sure Jobcentres are building people's confidence and aspirations. We look forward to building on the conversations started today to make sure reforms to social security and employment support work for everyone." 

What we're calling for 

To be effective, our Jobcentres must give people the time and personalised support they need to build confidence, aspirations and take their next steps. 

Trusting relationships with work coaches provide a critical foundation for honest conversations about the support someone needs.  

We recommend that the DWP:   

• Apply learnings from Jobcentre Pathfinders, including increasing the duration and flexibility of work coach appointments. 
• Ensure Jobcentres deliver wider employment support in welcoming, community-oriented spaces that prioritise personal support and build trust. 
• Implement a three-month period of claimant-led, sanction-free engagement for each new Universal Credit claim, with the focus on building relationships and co-producing a plan.