DWP Older Workers Support

Advertorial

The DWP understands the skill and value of older workers in businesses as well as the benefits to working later in life including financially and to individuals’ wellbeing which is why the department offers a variety of support to help older workers to stay in, progress and return to work including dedicated pages on the JobHelp website. Other support the department offers to 50+ jobseekers includes:

Support in the jobcentre

Intensive tailored support for eligible Universal Credit jobseekers during the first nine months of their claim. This gives work coaches more time to spend with older jobseekers who have recently become unemployed to tackle barriers or difficulties in finding work. Work coaches can also offer claimants additional opportunities through Restart, Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), mentoring circles and 50 Plus job fairs.

50 Plus Champions

A network of full-time 50PLUS Champions are in every Jobcentre Plus district across Great Britain. These champions collaborate with work coaches to raise awareness of the importance of support older jobseekers and any barriers that they may have. They also engage with employers and stakeholders to raise awareness of the barriers which older people may face in accessing work.

Midlife MOT

The department has developed a Midlife MOT offer to help people in their 40s, 50s and 60s in and out of work to review and take stock of their finances, skills and health. The department has launched a Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT for eligible customers on Universal Credit and has also launched a digital Midlife MOT for people to access online. The department is also trialling a number of private sector Midlife MOTs across the country.

Returnerships

Returnerships is a Government campaign targeted at older workers, which brings together existing skill programmes to support better access to re-training and allow workers of all ages to engage with the opportunities of a second career. Returnerships will promote accelerated Apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and SWAPs.

An Apprenticeship is a job with training that can be used by learners of all ages and all career stages to gain valuable skills, retrain or reskill.

Skills Bootcamps are free and designed in partnership with local employers to help fill job vacancies. These flexible courses last up to 16 weeks and allow those taking part to gain in-demand skills employers are looking for, with the offer of a job interview on completion.

SWAPs are an opportunity for benefit claimants to learn new skills and get experience of working in a particular industry such as care or construction. The programme is designed to help jobseekers, who are claiming Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, to build confidence, improve job prospects and enhance CVs.

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