Jobcentre Plus

JCP became operational in April 2002 and provides services and benefits for working age claimants. JCP has significant operational autonomy but is accountable to DWP Ministers. The Chief Executive of JCP is appointed on a 3-year contract renewable by mutual consent. There is an executive Board with seven lull time Directors and three non-executive Directors. JCP is divided into nine English Regions plus offices for Wales and Scotland, which in turn are subdivided into 48 Districts. 

JCP is at the forefront of the modernisation of the British public sector. In 2002 JCP inherited a network of 1,500 offices and 90,000 ES and BA staff, who were primarily civil servants but with separate collective bargaining structures, agreements and appraisal systems. Staff numbers are planned to fall to just under 69,000 by 2008, a reduction of over 20%, at which point JCP will comprise 850 front line offices, 25 contact call centres and 77 Benefit Delivery Centres. Staff 

A National Audit Office report estimated that in 2005/2006 JCP administered around GBP 22 billion in benefits to some 4.6 million people claiming a core working age benefit. About 16,000 new claims for benefit were made every day and some 4,000 people helped into employment (NAO 2006). The 9,300 PAs employed by JCP conducted 10.8 million WFIs, about 200,000 a week. PAs conducted about 28 interviews per week and had an average active caseload of 30-40 customers. 

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Job search activity obligations and the benefit, tax and tax credit system are uniform throughout the four countries that make up the UK. The remit of DWP and Jobcentre Plus, which are responsible for the implementation of activation, extends only across GB and not Northern Ireland which has a different administrative architecture. 

JCP (2006) Jobcentre Plus Annual Report and Accounts 2005-06. HC1650. The Stationery Office, London... 

W and PSC (2006) The Efficiency Savings Programme in Jobcentre Plus. Second Report of the Work and Pensions Committee, Session 2005-2006, vol I and II, HC 834-I II. The Stationery Office, London... 

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