./foiextract20101215-1765-1hsitmy-0

Race, Disability and Gender
Equality Schemes 2008 – 2011

Jobcentre Plus
Contents
Foreword................................................................................................................ 3
Our.Strategic.Approach.......................................................................................... 4
Annex.1.–.Our.Functions.and.Policies.................................................................... 12
Annex.2.–.Our.Plan.to.Diversity.Impact.Assess.Current.Functions.and.Policies....... 17
Annex.3.–.Race.Equality.Action.Plan..................................................................... 20
Annex.4.–.Disability.Equality.Action.Plan............................................................... 27
Annex.5.–.Gender.Equality.Action.Plan................................................................. 37
Annex.6.–.Other.Diversity.Areas............................................................................ 45

Jobcentre Plus
Foreword
I.am.delighted.to.introduce.our.new.Race,.Disability.and.Gender.
Equality.Schemes..These.Schemes.detail.what.we.intend.to.do.in.
these.very.important.areas.over.the.next.three.years..
I.am.personally.passionate.about.equality.and.diversity,.and.I.believe.
that.Jobcentre.Plus.has.an.excellent.record.of.achievement.in.this.
area..Figures.so.far.available.to.us.show.that.since.April.2007.we.
have.helped.the.following.people.get.jobs:
•. 89,844.lone.parents
•. 111,486.people.with.a.disability.or.a.health.condition,.and.
•. 171,930.ethnic.minority.customers.
We.cannot.afford.to.be.complacent..We.need.to.strive.constantly.to.meet.the.
diversity.objectives.that.were.set.in.2000..These.objectives.are:
•. to.build.a.workforce.that.reflects.and.is.part.of.the.wider.community;
•. to.be.an.employer.of.choice.in.a.diverse.marketplace;
•. to.enable.all.staff.to.contribute.to.our.business.objectives.and.to.maximise.their.
potential.to.do.that;.and
•. to.provide.an.excellent.service.to.all.Jobcentre.Plus.customers.that.reflects.their.
particular.needs.and.embraces.diversity.
Jobcentre.Plus.has.come.a.long.way.since.we.first.published.an.Equality.Scheme.in.
2002,.especially.in.our.efforts.to.mainstream.diversity.and.equality.into.everything.
we.do..We.will.continue.to.build.on.the.success.we.have.had.and.the.lessons.that.
developing.Equality.Schemes.have.helped.us.to.learn..
Lesley Strathie
Chief Executive

Jobcentre Plus
Our Strategic Approach
Background
We.are.an.executive.agency.of.the.Department.for.Work.and.Pensions.(DWP)..
Jobcentre.Plus.plays.a.major.role.in.helping.people.through.its.core.objective..
“Work.for.those.who.can:.support.for.those.who.cannot”..
Publication of Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes in 2008
In.our.equality.schemes.annual.progress.reports.published.in.November.2007,..
we.explained.that.we.had.decided.to.review.all.our.equality.schemes.in.2008.for..
the.following.reasons:
•. to.meet.the.legislative.requirement.to.review.our.race.equality.scheme.by.May.
2008
•. to.take.on.board.comments.on.our.first.disability.and.gender.equality.schemes
•. to.move.towards.our.objective.of.mainstreaming.and.aligning.with.the.usual..
April-March.planning.cycle,.and.the.Spending.Review.cycle.used.across.
government;.and
•. to.move.towards.a.single.equality.scheme.
This.will.help.to.embed.diversity.and.equality.into.the.way.we.do.business..As.this.
review.is.significantly.earlier.than.required.for.disability.and.gender,.we.discussed.
this.decision.with.the.Disability.Rights.Commission.and.the.Equal.Opportunities.
Commission.before.they.became.part.of.The.Equality.and.Human.Rights.Commission.
in.October.2007..They.supported.the.proposal.to.carry.out.the.third.year.review.early.
with.a.‘light.touch’.review.of.our.disability.and.gender.equality.schemes,.at.the.same.
time.as.we.review.our.race.equality.scheme.
Before.our.next.schemes.are.published.in.2011,.we.will.explore.how.we.can.publish.
both.our.Equality.Schemes.and.Business.Plan.as.one.document..We.believe.that.this.
will.further.embed.diversity.and.equality.into.our.operation..
Links between our Equality Schemes, the Departmental Strategic
Objectives (DSOs) and our 2008/2009 Business Plan
Much.of.what.we.want.to.achieve.in.our.Equality.Schemes.is.supported.by.DWP’s.
Departmental.Strategic.Objectives.and.our.current.Business.Plan.
Our.priorities.for.our.staff.are.contained.in.the.DWP.Race,.Disability.and.Gender.
Equality.Schemes.

Jobcentre Plus
Our.priorities.for.our.customers.in.our.Equality.Schemes.are.to:
•. contribute.to.the.number.of.disabled.people,.lone.parents.and.people.from.ethnic.
minorities.who.are.in.work;.and
•. continue.to.work.to.ensure.that.our.services.are.accessible.and.appropriate.for.all.
the.diverse.customers.that.we.serve..
Two.of.the.Departmental.Strategic.Objectives.(DSOs).that.support.these.two.priorities.
are:
•. to.reduce.the.number.of.children.living.in.poverty,.and.
•. to.promote.equality.of.opportunity.for.disabled.people.
The.priorities.in.our.2008/2009.Business.Plan.include:.
•. introducing.the.new.Employment.and.Support.Allowance.for.customers.claiming.
benefits.for.a.sickness.or.disability;
•. supporting.lone.parents.to.find.work;.and.
•. introducing.a.new.Working.Neighbourhoods.Fund.to.focus.targeted.support.to.
help.customers.in.areas.of.high.unemployment,.typically.customers.from.ethnic.
minority.communities,.through.pooled.funding.with.Local.Authorities.
Update of previous Equality Schemes
We.last.published.an.update.on.our.Disability,.Gender.and.Race.Equality.Schemes.
in.November.2007..Most.of.the.actions.detailed.there.are.carried.over.into.our.new.
Action.Plans..Progress.since.then.has.included:
•. responding.to.the.report.we.commissioned.from.ECOTEC.Research.entitled.“Use.
of.Jobcentre.Plus.Telephony.and.Face.to.Face.First.Contact.Services.by.Customers.
with.Specific.Communication.Barriers”.by.developing.a.comprehensive.action.plan.
to.address.its.findings;
•. increasing.the.number.of.employers.who.are.participating.in.our.Local.
Employment.Partnerships.from.over.200.in.November.2007.to.over.500.in.
February.2008;
•. completing.a.national.customer.involvement.exercise;
•. publishing.our.Customer.Satisfaction.Survey..This.showed.that.there.was.no.
demographic.factor,.such.as.gender,.ethnicity.or.disability,.which.tended.to.drive.
customers’.dissatisfaction.with.our.services;

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•. all.our.outlets.successfully.completing.a.Diversity.Challenge.Action.Plan.by.
December.2007;
•. reducing.the.time.that.our.staff.wait.for.adaptations.to.be.made.to.their.
workplace;
•. successfully.re-launching.our.Staff.Diversity.Network.Groups;
•. publishing.a.further.30.Disability,.Gender.and.Race.Impact.Assessments.(Diversity.
Impact.Assessments);
•. reviewing.our.current.functions.and.policies;
•. launching.an.informative.and.comprehensive.diversity.and.equality.internal.
website;.and
•. continuing.to.support.the.272.Local.Authority.Wards.that.have.3.times.
the.national.average.ethnic.minority.population.and.1.5.times.the.national.
unemployment.rate..
Case Study.
Jobcentre.Plus.Lanarkshire.and.East.Dunbartonshire.joined.forces.with.NHS.
Lanarkshire.following.the.launch.of.Pathways.to.Work.in.the.district..As.part.of.this.
initiative.GPs.and.other.health.professionals.advise.patients.about.all.the.services.
available.and.may.refer.them.for.help.from.Jobcentre.Plus.specialists...As.a.direct.
result,.there.has.been.a.dramatic.improvement.in.helping.more.people.move.from.
Incapacity.Benefit.into.work..For.Example,.over.3.years.the.number.of.customers.
on.Incapacity.Benefit.has.reduced.by.12.5.per.cent.
Case Study.
Building.on.a.suggestion.from.our.Disability.Staff.Diversity.Network.Group.we.
have.been.piloting.a.Diversity.Passport...The.Passport.is.aimed.at.improving.
communications.of.individuals’.diversity.and.caring.issues..The.form.is.designed.
to.capture.any.diversity.information.that.has.an.impact.on.an.individual’s.day-to-
day.working.life.which.they.consider.their.line.manager.needs.to.know...The.pilot.
started.in.January.2008.and.ran.for.three.months...Evaluation.of.feedback.from.
participants.is.underway.and.the.future.for.this.initiative.is.being.considered.

Jobcentre Plus
Involvement and Consultation
Customers
Specifically.to.help.us.develop.these.three.equality.schemes,.we.met.205.customers.
across.Scotland,.England.and.Wales..We.asked.them.what.they.thought.we.should.
do.over.the.next.three.years.to.make.their.experience.of.being.a.Jobcentre.Plus.
customer.better.
The.people.we.spoke.to.were.in.the.18-65.age.groups.and.included.121.that.
described.themselves.as.disabled..There.were.123.male,.81.female.and.1.person.who.
preferred.not.to.say..150.people.described.themselves.as.white.and.50.described.
themselves.as.coming.from.an.ethnic.minority.community..5.customers.preferred.not.
to.say..
Much.of.the.feedback.received.was.positive..No.issues.were.raised.specifically.
connected.to.customers’.gender.or.ethnicity..One.issue.that.was.raised.connected.
to.customers’.disability.was.that,.although.we.advertised.that.we.have.text.phones.
and.hearing.loops,.they.did.not.always.work..As.a.result.of.this.feedback,.all.our.
customer.outlets.will.be.required.to.test.their.text.phones.and.hearing.loops.on.a.
regular.basis..
We.believe.that.it.makes.good.business.sense.to.continually.monitor.what.our.
customers.feel.about.the.services.we.deliver,.and.how.we.can.improve.them..Doing.
this.on.an.ongoing.basis.helps.us.to.highlight.where.we.need.to.take.action.to.
promote.positive.attitudes.towards.equality..And.also.encourages.the.participation.of.
different.groups.of.people.in.public.life.. .
Throughout.the.last.year,.we.have:.
•. conducted.a.customer.satisfaction.survey,.and.
•. continued.to.meet.each.month.with.groups.such.as.Citizens.Advice,.One.Parent.
Families,.RNID.and.RNIB.etc.
This.ongoing.consultation.showed.us.that.we.still.need.to.do.more.work.in.ensuring.
that.all.our.services.are.accessible.to.all.our.diverse.customers..Our.attached.Action.
Plans.set.out.in.detail.what.we.intend.to.do.to.improve.the.accessibility.of.our.
services..
We.participated.in.the.DWP.Equality.Schemes.Customer.Involvement.Workshop..
Along.with.other.businesses.within.DWP,.we.met.representatives.with.interests.in.
race,.disability.and.gender..Representation.was.from.individuals.and.organisations.
that.work.with.our.customers..They.told.us.that.it.was.important.for.us.to.continue.
to.ask.our.customers.how.we.can.improve.our.services..We.will.continue.to.do.this.in.
the.ways.we.set.out.in.our.Action.Plans.

Jobcentre Plus
The.representatives.and.individuals.at.the.Workshop.also.stressed.the.need.for.our.
staff.to.understand.equality..In.response.to.this,.our.Action.Plans.detail.the.work.we.
will.be.doing.on.improving.the.learning.and.development.on.equality.that.is.available.
for.our.staff.
Staff
With.our.staff.we.have:
•. involved.our.Staff.Diversity.Network.Groups.who.have.articulated.the.views.of.our.
staff.on.how.we.are.performing.as.an.employer;
•. analysed.our.staff.survey.to.identify.potential.areas.for.improvement;.and
•. shared.with.the.trade.unions.the.actions.we.intend.to.take.as.a.result.of.these.
involvement.and.consultation.exercises.
Case Study
As.a.direct.result.of.activity.to.empower.our.Staff.Diversity.Network.Groups.to.
make.a.real.contribution.to.the.business.we.now.have.in.place.effective.and.
enthusiastic.groups.working.at.district,.regional.and.national.level...The.first.
national.forum.bringing.together.our.Board.champions.for.different.elements.of.
diversity.and.the.chairs.of.these.refreshed.groups.was.held.in.February.at.a.meeting.
chaired.by.our.Chief.Executive,.Lesley.Strathie.
An.example.of.the.work.that.they.do.is.their.publishing,.on.our.intranet.site,.of.
information.on.Black.History.Month...
Monitoring and Evaluation
Customers
We.collect.a.great.deal.of.diversity.information.about.our.customers..Our.experience.
of.publishing.our.Equality.Schemes.has.made.us.realise.that.we.could.use.the.
information.we.gather.in.a.much.more.effective.and.systematic.way..To.help.us.do.
that,.we.are.commissioning.a.review.to:.
•. catalogue.all.the.diversity.information.that.we.collect;
•. identify.and.prioritise.issues;
•. suggest.key.high-level.indicators.for.us.to.use.for.benchmarking.purposes;

Jobcentre Plus
•. develop.a.database.compiling.key.diversity.and.equality.data.in.a.single.accessible.
format;.and
•. list.any.gaps.in.data.
Staff
We.monitor,.analyse.and.evaluate.a.range.of.information.on.our.staff.to.meet.the.
specific.requirements.of.the.Race.Relations.Act,.the.Disability.Discrimination.Act.
and.the.Equality.Act..This.supports.our.aim.of.ensuring.that.our.staff.from.under-
represented.groups.receive.equal.outcomes.and.are.able.to.fulfil.their.potential..Our.
employment.data.are.reported.in.the.Department.for.Work.and.Pensions.Equality.
Schemes.in.the.chapter.on.Corporate.Human.Resources.
Closing the Gender Pay Gap
Customers
We:
•. through.our.Local.Employment.Partnerships,.work.with,.and.support,.employers.in.
realising.the.benefits.of.employing.a.diverse.workforce;
•. work.with.employers.to.ensure.that.vacancies.placed.with.us.do.not.discriminate.
on.the.grounds.of.gender.and.that.they.meet.minimum.wage.requirements;
•. offer.support.to.help.lone.parents.return.to.work;
•. continue.to.offer.lone.parents.support.for.a.further.26.weeks.once.they.are.in.
work;
•. plan,.in.the.coming.year,.to.offer.lone.parents.career.progression.advice;
•. pay.lone.parents.an.‘in.work.credit’.on.top.of.their.earnings.for.their.first.52.weeks.
in.employment;.and
•. support.DWP.in.developing.strategies.to.promote.the.many.benefits.of.working,.
for.example.wellbeing.and.health.

Jobcentre Plus
Equal Pay Review
Staff
We.undertake.regular.equal.pay.audits.to.review.our.pay.policies.and.their.
application..Our.pay.statement.is.included.in.the.Department.for.Work.and.Pensions.
Equality.Schemes.in.the.chapter.on.Corporate.Human.Resources..
Impact Assessments
We.follow.Departmental.processes.to.ensure.that.we.impact.assess.proposals.and.
change.for.race,.disability.and.gender.
•. We.have.published.a.further.30.Diversity.Impact.Assessments.
•. A.detailed.action.plan.including.timescales.for.carrying.out.diversity.impact.
assessments..is.included.in.Annex.2.
Review of our Functions and Policies
Our.first.step.in.developing.these.Equality.Schemes.and.Action.Plans.was.to.review.
our.functions.and.policies.against.equality.legislation..They.remain.largely.the.same.
since.the.last.review,.in.December.2006..The.only.changes.are.that,.since.then,.
responsibility.for.procurement.of.labour.market.programmes.has.moved.to.the.
DWP’s.Commercial.Directorate.and.the.lead.on.communications.and.marketing.has.
moved.into.the.DWP’s.Communication.Directorate.and.so.are.no.longer.part.of.our.
functions..Annex.1.shows.the.functions.and.policies.we.have.reviewed.and.Annex.2.
shows.our.detailed.timescale.for.diversity.impact.assessing.them.
The extent to which our functions, policies’ and services meet the
needs of disabled people
Through.the.involvement.of.individual.disabled.customers.and.our.consultation,.
monitoring.and.evaluation.–.all.of.which.is.detailed.above.–.we.have.concluded.that,.
though.there.is.much.that.we.can.be.proud.of,.there.is.still.much.for.us.to.do.
The.Action.Plan.at.Annex.4.sets.out.in.detail.what.we.intend.to.do.over.the.next.
three.years..
Reporting Arrangements
We.will.publish.annually.the.progress.we.are.making.on.our.Equality.Schemes..As.
part.of.that.process.we.will.continue.to.involve.customers,.stakeholders.and.staff..
10

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Further information
If.you.would.like.any.additional.information.on.Jobcentre.Plus.services.or.want.
this.document.in.an.alternative.format.please.contact.us.at.the.address.below..
Alternatively.information.is.available.on.our.website.www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk.
Additional.information.regarding.DWP,.particularly.the.Department’s.HR.policies.and.
its.latest.Equality.Schemes,.is.available.at.www.dwp.gov.uk
Contact Details
We.welcome.comments.on.our.Equality.Schemes.and.you.can.contact.us.as.follows:
By.post:.
.
Jobcentre.Plus.
.
.
.
Diversity.Team.
.
.
.
Steel.City.House.
.
.
.
West.Street..
.
.
.
Sheffield.
.
.
.
S1.2GQ
By.telephone:..
0114.294.3019
Typetalk.calls.welcome
By.email:.. .
[email address]
11

Jobcentre Plus
Annex 1 – Our Functions and Policies
Functions
Policies
Priority
1.  Helping
The.development.and.
High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
disadvantaged people  delivery.of.programmes,.
and.Gender
into work as a route
services,.support.and.
out of poverty
advice.that.is.accessible.
and.appropriate.for.our.
customers..These.include.
work.focused.interviews,.
all.the.New.Deals.and.
Condition.Management.
Programmes,.and.the.
provision.of.written.and.
other.material.in.accessible.
formats.
Maintaining.and.improving. High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
our.in-house.IT.systems.so. and.Gender
that.they.record.diversity.
data.on.all.our.customers,.
including.ethnicity..This.
will.assist.analysis.and.
inform.improvements.
for.changes.to.our.
programmes.and.services.
for.the.future
2.  To provide financial
Ensuring.that.customers.
Low.–.for.Race,.Disability.
support as security
know.about,.and.receive.
and.Gender
for people of working  accurately.and.on.time,.
age while they are
the.benefits.to.which.they.
out of work
are.entitled.
Safeguarding.the.benefits.
system.on.behalf.of.
taxpayers,.working.to.
reduce.fraud.and.error.
Payment.of.discretionary.
High.–.for.Race.and.
benefits.ensuring.
Disability
availability.to.all.who.need.
them.in.times.of.crisis,.
Low.–.for.Gender
including.the.Social.Fund.
(for.example.Crisis.Loans).
1

Jobcentre Plus
Functions
Policies
Priority
2.  To provide financial
Gathering.information.
Low.–.for.Race.and.
support as security
on.behalf.of.the.Child.
Disability
for people of working  Support.Agency
age while they
High.–.for.Gender
are out of work
Working.in.partnership.
Low.–.for.Race,.Disability.
(continued)
with.colleagues.in.the.
and.Gender
Pensions,.Disability.and.
Carers.Service.to.help.
disabled.customers.claim.
Disability.Living.Allowance
Providing.a.smooth.
Low.–.for.Race.and.
handover.to.Local.
Gender
Authorities.for.Housing.
and.Council.Tax.Benefit.
High.–.for.Disability
claims.
3.  To address
Encouraging.employers.
High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
inequalities of
to.offer.employment.
and.Gender
opportunity
to.applicants.including.
people.from.ethnic.
minority.groups.and.
disabled.people.
Working.with.employers.
Medium.–.for.Race,.
and.others.to.ensure.
Disability.and.Gender
that.vacancies.are.not.
discriminatory.–.whether.
unintentionally.or.not.
Offering.advice.and.
High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
support.aimed.at.
and.Gender
improving.employers’.
recruitment.practices,.so.
that.they.will.encourage.
more.people.from.diverse.
groups.to.apply
Increasing.the.pool.of.
High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
vacancies.that.could.
and.Gender
be.filled.by.our.diverse.
customers.–.and.in.doing.
so.helping.employers.to.fill.
their.vacancies
1

Jobcentre Plus
Functions
Policies
Priority
3. To address
Helping.customers.to.be.
High.–.for.Race.and.
inequalities of
ready.and.able.to.find.
Disability
opportunity
sustainable.employment.
(continued)
Medium.–.for.Gender
Managing.the.processes.
Low.–.for.Race,.Disability.
that.require.jobseekers.
and.Gender
actively.to.seek.work
Helping.people.to.access.
High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
relevant.training.and.
and.Gender
support.seeking.to.ensure.
that.mainstream.services.
are.as.flexible.and.as.
accessible.as.possible.to.
promote.inclusivity..
Considering.statistics.and. High.–.for.Race,.Disability.
analysing.the.take.up.of.
and.Gender
provision.by.customers.
ensuring.that.all.diverse.
groups.are.benefiting.
equally.from.the.support.
that.is.available.
4. To address market
Identifying.and.supporting. Medium.–.for.Race,.
failure in the labour
our.customers.to.access.
Disability.and.Gender
market
training.that.improves.their.
employment.prospects.and.
matches.the.needs.of.local.
employers.
Matching.customers.with. Low.–.for.Race,.Disability.
suitable.vacancies.taking.
and.Gender
into.consideration.diverse.
needs.
Helping.our.customers.
Medium.–.for.Race,.
find.jobs.through.a.
Disability.and.Gender
range.of.accessible.
channels.including.the.
telephone,.textphone.and.
the.internet,.adapting.
as.necessary.to.meet.
customers’.needs.
1

Jobcentre Plus
Functions
Policies
Priority
5. Development of
Maintaining.and.
Medium.–.for.Race,.
Partnership working
continuously.improving.
Disability.and.Gender
partnership.working.with.
others,.including:
•. other.agencies.and.
parts.of.the.Department.
such.as.the.Pensions,.
Disability.and.Carers.
Service;.and
•. key.organisations.
including.local.
authorities,.the.Learning.
and.Skills.Councils,.
other.government.
departments.and.the.
voluntary.sector.
Working.in.partnership.
Medium.–.for.Race,.
with.local.and.regional.
Disability.and.Gender
neighbourhood.
regeneration.
organisations.
Continuing.to.develop.and. Medium.–.for.Race,.
maintain.good.working.
Disability.and.Gender
relationships.with.local.and.
national.ethnic.minority.
community.organisations,.
organisations.“of”.and.
“for”.disabled.people.and.
The.Equality.and.Human.
Rights.Commission.
1

Jobcentre Plus
Functions
Policies
Priority
6. Human Resources
Ensuring.that.our.people.
Medium.–.for.Race,.
are.best.placed.to.meet.
Disability.and.Gender
business.needs.by:.
•. focusing.on.providing.
the.key.skills.and.
development.needed.to.
support.individuals.in.
their.current.roles,.and.
enhancing.learning.and.
development.to.support.
new.or.changing.job.
roles.and.ways.of.
working;
•. continuing.to.build.our.
leadership.capability,.
equipping.our.managers.
to.lead,.manage.and.
develop.their.people;
•. driving.up.
performance.through.
our.performance.
management.systems;.
and
•. continuing.to.look.at.
ways.to.ensure.diversity.
is.reflected.in.all.our.
Human.Resources.
functions.
7. Customer Focus
To.offer.personal.and.
High.–.for.Race.and.
informed.support.for.
Disability.
customers.who.need.it.
most..Ensuring.that.we.
Medium.–.for.Gender
work.efficiently,.and.in.
ways.that.are.easy.to.
access.by.our.customers,.
such.as.telephone,.
textphone.and.internet.
services,.adapting.as.
necessary.to.meet.
customers’.needs.
1

Jobcentre Plus
Annex 2 – Our Plan to Diversity Impact Assess Current
Functions and Policies
Policies in Priority Order
Dates from/to
1..The.development.and.delivery.of.programmes,.services,.
Feb.–.April.08
support.and.advice.that.is.accessible.and.appropriate.for.our.
customers..These.include.work.focused.interviews,.all.the.
New.Deals.and.Condition.Management.Programmes.and.the.
provision.of.written.and.other.material.in.accessible.formats.
2..Maintaining.and.improving.our.in-house.IT.systems.so.
April.–.May.08
that.they.record.diversity.data.on.all.our.customers,.including.
ethnicity..This.will.assist.analysis.and.inform.improvements.for.
changes.to.our.programmes.and.services.for.the.future.
3..Encouraging.employers.to.offer.employment.to.diverse.
Completed
applicants.including.people.from.ethnic.minority.groups.and.
disabled.people.
4..Offering.advice.and.support.aimed.at.improving.employers’.
May.–.June.08
recruitment.practices,.so.that.they.will.encourage.more.people.
from.diverse.groups.to.apply.
5..Increasing.the.pool.of.vacancies.that.could.be.filled.by.our.
Completed
diverse.customers.–.and.in.doing.so.helping.employers.to.fill.
their.vacancies.
6..Helping.people.to.access.relevant.training.and.support.
June.–.July.08
seeking.to.ensure.that.mainstream.services.are.as.flexible.and.as.
accessible.as.possible.to.promote.inclusivity..
7..Considering.statistics.and.analysing.the.take.up.of.provision.
July.–.Aug.08
by.customers.ensuring.that.all.diverse.groups.are.benefiting.
equally.from.the.support.that.is.available.
8..Helping.customers.to.be.ready.and.able.to.find.sustainable.
Aug.–.Sep.08
employment.
9..To.offer.personal.and.informed.support.for.customers.who.
Sep.–.Oct.08
need.it.most..Ensuring.that.we.work.efficiently,.and.in.ways.
that.are.easy.to.access.by.our.customers,.such.as.telephone,.
textphone.and.internet.services,.adapting.as.necessary.to.meet.
customers’.needs.
10..Payment.of.discretionary.benefits.ensuring.availability.to.all. Oct.–.Nov.08
who.need.them.in.times.of.crisis,.including.the.Social.Fund.(for.
example.Crisis.Loans)..
1

Jobcentre Plus
Policies in Priority Order
Dates from/to
11..Working.with.employers.and.others.to.ensure.that.vacancies. Nov.–.Dec.08
are.not.discriminatory.–.whether.unintentionally.or.not.
12..Identifying.and.supporting.our.customers.to.access.training. Jan.–.Feb.09
that.improves.their.employment.prospects.and.matches.the.
needs.of.local.employers..
13..Helping.our.customers.find.jobs.through.a.range.of.
Feb.–.March.09
accessible.channels.including.the.telephone,.textphone.and.the.
internet,.adapting.as.necessary.to.meet.customers’.needs.
14..Maintaining.and.continuously.improving.partnership.
March.–.April.09
working.with.others,.including:
•..other.agencies.and.parts.of.the.Department.such.as.the.
Pensions,.Disability.and.Carers.Service;.and
•..key.organisations.including.local.authorities,.the.Learning.
and.Skills.Councils,.other.government.departments.and.the.
voluntary.sector.
15..Working.in.partnership.with.local.and.regional.
April.–.May.09
neighbourhood.regeneration.organisations.
16..Continuing.to.develop.and.maintain.good.working.
May.–.June.09
relationships.with.local.and.national.ethnic.minority.community.
organisations,.organisations.“of”.and.“for”.disabled.people.
and.The.Equality.and.Human.Rights.Commission..
17..Ensuring.that.our.people.are.best.placed.to.meet.business.
June.–.July.09
needs.by:
•. focusing.on.providing.the.key.skills.and.development.needed.
to.support.individuals.in.their.current.roles,.and.enhancing.
learning.and.development.to.support.new.or.changing.job.
roles.and.ways.of.working;
•. continuing.to.build.our.leadership.capability,.equipping.our.
managers.to.lead,.manage.and.develop.their.people;
•. driving.up.performance.through.our.performance.
management.systems;.and
•. continuing.to.look.at.ways.to.ensure.diversity.is.reflected.in.
all.our.Human.Resources.functions.
18..Gathering.information.on.behalf.of.the.Child.Support.
July.–.Aug.09
Agency.
1

Jobcentre Plus
Policies in Priority Order
Dates from/to
19..Providing.a.smooth.handover.to.Local.Authorities.for.
Aug.–.Sept.09
Housing.and.Council.Tax.Benefit.claims.
20..Ensuring.that.customers.know.about,.and.receive.accurately. Sept.–.Oct.09
and.on.time,.the.benefits.to.which.they.are.entitled..
Safeguarding.the.benefits.system.on.behalf.of.taxpayers,.
working.to.reduce.fraud.and.error.
21..Working.in.partnership.with.colleagues.in.the.Pensions,.
Oct.–.Nov.09
Disability.and.Carers.Service.to.help.disabled.customers.claim.
Disability.Living.Allowance.
22..Managing.the.processes.that.require.jobseekers.actively.to.
Nov.–.Dec.09
seek.work.
23..Matching.customers.with.suitable.vacancies.taking.into.
Dec.–.Jan.10
consideration.diverse.needs.
24..Undertaking.financial.management,.governance,.risk.
Jan.–.Feb.10
management.and.control.of.Jobcentre.Plus.budgets.
1

20
Jobcentr
Annex 3 – Jobcentre Plus Race Equality Action Plan 2008-2011
e Plus
Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
1. Contribute to
We will:
Fewer ethnic minority people out of
increasing the
work
employment rate of
• support DWP and Communities 2008 to 2011
people from ethnic
and Local Government (CLG)
minorities
colleagues to introduce the
new Working Neighbourhood
Fund, which will focus support
and encourage enterprise in
areas with high unemployment,
many of which include a
disproportionate number of
people from ethnic minorities

Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
2. Work with and
We will:
More of our diverse customers are
support employers in
supported to move into the labour
realising the benefits  •  work with employers to
Ongoing
market
of employing a
examine and provide support

diverse workforce
on recruitment and retention

policies
•  through our Local Employment  By 2010
Partnerships, help 250,000

people who are disadvantaged
in the labour market into work
•  survey employers to establish
To be published
recruitment needs, including
late Spring 2008
diversity issues
3. Work with
We will:
To ensure that vacancies we advertise
employers accessing
are not unlawfully discriminatory
our services to
•  work with employers to ensure  Ongoing
place vacancies to
that vacancies placed are not
ensure they are not
unlawfully discriminatory,
discriminatory
providing guidance and advice
as appropriate
Jobcentr
e Plus
21

22
Jobcentr
Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
4. Jobcentre Plus will  We will:
Ensure that we have in place consistent
support and deliver
•  work with the Border and
Ongoing
standards of support that meet the
services to Refugees
Immigration Agency (BIA)

needs and expectations of our Refugee
to respond to their Refugee

customers. Helping them overcome
Integration Strategy and other

barriers and progress into employment
policies that may impact on

Refugee employment and

access to Jobcentre Plus services
•  work closely with BIA at national  Ongoing
and local levels, to support

their Refugee Integration and

Employment Service (RIES)

initiative which is being rol ed

out national y between April and
October 2008
•  we will also support the BIA
Ongoing
Gateway Protection Programme
and Case Resolution exercise
•  continue to maintain and
Ongoing
promote the principles of our
Refugee Operational Framework,
including the internal web
page, which provides advice
and guidance on al  aspects of
service delivery to Refugees;
reviewing as appropriate based
on feedback from customers and
staff

Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
5. Improve our
We will:
To help us work towards ensuring all
customers’ experience
our activities are accessible, appropriate
of the accessibility,
•  involve and consult with
Ongoing
and available for all our customers
availability and
customers and representative

appropriateness of
groups of all ethnicities
our services
•  where appropriate take
Ongoing
action as soon as possible to

implement recommendations to
enhance or improve our services
•  consider recommendations,
Ongoing
following the results of our
customer satisfaction survey,
and report against them
6. Monitor plans
We will:
That staff are supported to focus on
developed to
diversity and equality responsibilities.
meet the Diversity
•  review all plans developed
By July 2008
And, make improvements to services
Challenge
in response to the Diversity

and products
Challenge. (The Challenge was
issued throughout Jobcentre

Plus in May 2007)
•  identify good practice
Ongoing
developed and implemented
Jobcentr
in response to the Challenge.
Publicise and share this
with colleagues across the
e Plus
23
Department

24
Jobcentr
Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
7. Jobcentre Plus will  We will:
To work towards mainstreaming
diversity impact assess
diversity into everyday activity
all functions, policies  •  ensure diversity impact
Ongoing
and changes
assessments are undertaken

when changes are identified to
service delivery and our people
•  diversity impact assess all
A detailed action
current functions and policies,
plan is at Annex 2
ensuring that the assessments
cover opportunities to maximise
the promotion of good relations
between people of different
ethnicities
8. Provide the
We will:
Jobcentre Plus staff have a better
opportunity for staff
understanding of our customers’ lives,
to develop links
•  provide staff with the
300 days activity
and the issues and barriers they face
with our customers
opportunity to volunteer in
to be completed
through working
community based activity at
by July 2008
with voluntary and
local, regional and national
community based
level. In total 3,000 staff days
organisations
will be freed up for this activity
over the coming year. Activity
will be focused on developing
links with our priority customers

Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
9. Ensure that our
We will:
Staff are confident in meeting the needs
diversity and equality
of diverse customers
training is effectively  •  re-launch our foundation
Spring 2008
delivered to all our
training which is designed for all
staff
staff within Jobcentre Plus, with
a particular emphasis on those
providing customer service
•  support the development and
Ongoing
delivery of new services to our

priority customers
•  review and evaluate the
Ongoing
effectiveness of training using
feedback from customers and
staff.
Jobcentr
e Plus
25

26
Jobcentr
Race Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
10. Continue to
We will:
Issues from ethnic minority groups are
analyse staff survey
identified and addressed
results and put in
•  analyse the Jobcentre Plus
Annually
place measures to
annual people survey by
achieve positive
ethnicity. The Staff Diversity
changes
Network Group responsible for
race, religion and belief will lead
and flag issues for progression
to the appropriate team
11. Ensure that
We will:
We have in place Staff Diversity
our Staff Diversity
Network Groups that can make a
•  undertake a review of the
July 2008
Network Groups are
positive contribution to the business
Groups to ensure that they are
empowered to make
operating effectively
a real contribution to
our business
12. Jobcentre Plus will  We will:
We will identify whether our action plan
review its assessment
requires amendments
•  review our current assessment
April 2011
of functions and
policies

Annex 4 – Jobcentre Plus Disability Equality Action Plan 2008-2011
Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
Description
1. Increase the help
We will:
More disabled customers are helped
that we give to
into work
disabled people in
•  introduce the Employment and  October 2008
getting them into
Support Allowance
work
•  introduce mandatory Pathways  2009
to Work interviews and the new
Work Capability Assessment

for existing Incapacity Benefit

customers who are under the

age of 25
•  remove Housing Benefit
2009
learning restrictions for

short-term Incapacity Benefit

customers, to allow them to

study full time
•  introduce skills screening for
2009
Employment and Support
Allowance customers soon after
the start of their claim and,
where appropriate, a mandatory
Jobcentr
Skills Health Check at a later
point in their claim
e Plus
27

28
Jobcentr
Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
2. Ensure telephony
We will:
To ensure that customers who find it
services do not
difficult to access our services because
disadvantage
•  develop marketing material
April 2008
of their disability are not disadvantaged
customers
giving customers an overview of

what they can expect from us

and how to access our services

•  act on recommendations
2008-2009

from the commissioned report

(ECOTEC), and reports from

the Social Security Advisory

Committee and Citizens Advice

Bureau

•  review telephony charges. Pilot  2008-2010

changes to our operating model

and implement

•  improve telephone access to
2008-2009

Crisis Loans for vulnerable

customers

•  develop a process for identifying  July 2008

customers who find it difficult

to use our telephone services

and provide alternatives

•  ensure that Contact Centre staff  Ongoing
receive disability training specific
to a call centre environment
continued on next page

Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
Description
2. (continuation)
•  commission a survey on how
Report to be
(See above)
Ensure telephony
customers feel about the first
published late
services do not
contact that they have with us
Spring 2008
disadvantage
customers
•  where appropriate, act on the
Ongoing
recommendations of that survey
3. Ensure all our
We will:
Ensure our processes meet the needs of
processes are
our customers
sufficiently flexible to  •  act on feedback from
Ongoing
meet the needs of our
disabled customers and their

disabled customers
representatives and implement
solutions where appropriate
•  work with DWP to develop
Ongoing
a set of processes to meet

the needs of customers with

specific communications barriers
(previously called minimum

customer accessibility standards)
•  commission a review to help us  Report back
use the diversity data that we
Summer of 2008
collect in a more systematic way
Jobcentr
e Plus
29

30
Jobcentr
Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
4. Monitor plans
We will:
That staff are supported to focus on
developed to
diversity and equality responsibilities.
meet the Diversity
•  review all plans developed
By July 2008
And, make improvements to services
Challenge
in response to the Diversity

and products
Challenge. (The Challenge was
issued throughout Jobcentre

Plus in May 2007)
•  identify good practice
Ongoing
developed and implemented
in response to the Challenge.
Publicise and share this
with colleagues across the
Department
5. Work with
We will:
To ensure that vacancies we advertise
employers to ensure
do not discriminate against disabled
that vacancies placed  •  work with employers to ensure  Ongoing
people
with us are not
that vacancies placed are not
discriminatory
unlawfully discriminatory,
providing guidance and advice
as appropriate

Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
Description
6. Improve our
We will:
To help us work towards ensuring all
customers’ experience  •  involve and consult with disabled  Ongoing
our activities are accessible, appropriate
of the accessibility,
customers and representative

and available for all our customers
availability and
groups
appropriateness of
•  where appropriate take action as  Ongoing
our services
soon as possible to implement

recommendations to enhance or
improve our services, adhering

to the Departmental standards

to meet the needs of customers
with specific communications

needs
•  consider recommendations,
Ongoing
fol owing the results of our

customer satisfaction survey, and
report against them
•  work with Departmental
From April 2008
col eagues to act on the formal
public consultation ‘Helping
people achieve their full
potential: Improving Specialist
Disability Employment Services’.
The consultation focuses on how
Jobcentr
we support disabled customers
in a more personalised, flexible
and easier to use way. The
e Plus
31
consultation period ran until
10 March 2008

32
Jobcentr
Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
7. Promote a positive  We will:
To work towards mainstreaming
attitude towards
diversity into everyday activity
disability equality
•  ensure all new policies
Ongoing
and processes are diversity

impact assessed, and that all

assessments cover opportunities
to maximise the promotion

of a positive attitude towards

disability equality
•  diversity impact assess all
A detailed action
current functions and policies,
plan is included at
ensuring that the assessments
Annex 2
cover opportunities to maximise
the promotion of a positive
attitude towards disability
equality
8. Provide the
We will:
Jobcentre Plus staff have a better
opportunity for staff
understanding of the lives’, issues and
to develop links
•  provide Staff with the
300 days activity
barriers facing our customers
with our customers
opportunity to volunteer in
to be completed
through working
community based activity at
by July 2008
with voluntary and
local, regional and national
community based
level. In total 3000 staff days
organisations
will be freed up for this activity
over the coming year. Activity to
be focused on developing links
with our priority customers

Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
Description
9. Encourage
We will:
To have in place effective and robust
participation and
mechanisms for involvement and
involvement of our
•  work with Departmental
Ongoing
consultation using customer feedback
customers
colleagues to set up the DWP

Equality Schemes Customer

Involvement Workshops

•  continue to participate in the
Ongoing

DWP Annual Forum which

brings together up to 250

representatives of national,

regional and local organisations,
that work with our customers
•  engage with Equality 2025
As appropriate
•  continue to work with our
Ongoing
Customer Representative

Groups Forum, which includes

representation from disability

rights organisations
•  where appropriate, act on the
Ongoing
feedback that we receive
Jobcentr
e Plus
33

34
Jobcentr
Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
10. Ensure, where
We will:
To work towards ensuring all our
available, equipment
services are accessible, appropriate and
used to provide
•  as a result of feedback from the  Ongoing
available to all our customers
accessibility is
customer involvement exercise,
operational
require all our customer outlets
to test their text phones and
hearing loops on a regular basis
11. Work with and
We will:
More of our diverse customers are
support employers in
supported to move into the labour
realising the benefits  •  work with employers to
Ongoing
market
of employing a
examine and provide support

diverse workforce
on recruitment and retention

policies

•  through our Local Employment  By 2010

Partnerships, help 250,000

people who are disadvantaged
in the labour market into work
•  survey employers to establish
To be published
recruitment needs, including
late Spring 2008
diversity issues

Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
Description
12. Ensure that our
We will:
To focus staff training on customer
diversity and equality
service and support staff to work
training is effectively  •  re-launch our foundation
Spring 2008
confidently with our diverse customers
delivered to all our
training which is designed for all
staff
staff within Jobcentre Plus, with
a particular emphasis on those
providing customer service
•  support the development and
Ongoing
delivery of new services to our

priority customers
•  review and evaluate the
Ongoing
effectiveness of training using
feedback from customers and
staff
13. Ensure that
We will:
To make improvements to the
adaptations to the
reasonable adjustment process
workplace for staff
•  report to the Permanent
Ongoing on a
are undertaken
Secretary on the numbers of
quarterly basis
quickly and effectively
staff identifying the need for,
and receiving, support through
reasonable adjustments
Jobcentr
e Plus
35

36
Jobcentr
Disability Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcome
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
14. Continue to
We will:
To be able to identify and consider
analyse staff survey
issues for disabled staff
results and put
•  analyse the Jobcentre Plus
Annually
measures in place
annual people survey by
to achieve positive
disability. The Staff Disability
changes
Network Group will lead and
flag issues for progression to
the appropriate policy team
15. Ensure that
We will:
We have in place Staff Diversity
our Staff Diversity
Network Groups that can make a
•  undertake a review of the
July 2008
Network Groups are
positive contribution to the business
Groups to ensure that they are
empowered to make
operating effectively
a real contribution to
our business
16. Jobcentre Plus will  We will:
To identify whether our action plan
review its assessment
requires amendment
•  review our current assessment
April 2011
of functions and
policies

Annex 5 – Jobcentre Plus Gender Equality Action Plan 2008-2011
Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
1. Increase the
We will:
To increase the number of parents in
support that we give
work
to parents to help
•  introduce quarterly Work
October 2008

them into work
Focused Interviews for lone

parents in the last year before

their child reaches the age

where they are no longer

entitled to Income Support

•  extend work trials for up to 6
Late 2008

weeks for those taking part in

New Deal for Lone Parents

•  introduce skills screening for
2009

all new lone parent Income

Support claimants as part of

their Work Focused Interview,

and encourage attendance at a

full Skills Health Check

•  bring all Lone Parents with a
2010
child over 7 years old into New
Deal for Lone Parents
continued on next page
Jobcentr
e Plus
37

38
Jobcentr
Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
1. (continuation)
•  have a Childcare Partnership
Ongoing
(See above)
Increase the support
Manager in place in every

that we give to
district. Their role will be to

parents to help them
progress the childcare agenda

into work
for Jobcentre Plus with local

authorities and other partners
•  deliver training to Personal
From March 2008
Advisers to help them signpost
parent customers to formal
childcare, to help them find
work
2. Work with and
We will:
More of our diverse customers are
support employers in
supported to move into the labour
realising the benefits  •  work with employers to
Ongoing
market
of employing a
examine and provide support

diverse workforce
on recruitment and retention

policies

•  through our Local Employment  By 2010

Partnerships, help 250,000

people who are disadvantaged,

including parents, in the labour
market into work
continued on next page

Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
2. (continuation)
•  survey employers to establish
Report to be
(See above)
Work with and
recruitment needs, including
published late
support employers in
diversity issues
Spring 2008
realising the benefits
of employing a
diverse workforce
3. Work with
We will:
To ensure that vacancies we advertise
employers to ensure
are not unlawfully discriminatory
that vacancies placed  •  work with employers to ensure  Ongoing
with us are not
that vacancies placed are not
discriminatory
unlawfully discriminatory,
providing guidance and advice
as appropriate
4. Improve our
We will:
To help us work towards ensuring all
customers’ experience
our activities are accessible, appropriate
of the accessibility,
•  involve and consult with
Ongoing on a
and available for all our customers
availability and
customers and representative
monthly basis

appropriateness of
groups, such as the Child

our services
Poverty Action Group

•  where appropriate take
Ongoing

action, as soon as possible,

to implement their

recommendations to enhance
Jobcentr
or improve our services
continued on next page
e Plus
39

40
Jobcentr
Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
4. (continuation)
•  consider recommendations,
Ongoing
(See above)
Improve our
following the results of our

customers’ experience
customer satisfaction survey and
of the accessibility,
report against them
availability and
appropriateness of
•  commission a review to help us  Summer 2008
our services
use the diversity data that we
collect in a more systematic way
5. Monitor plans
We will:
That staff are supported to focus on
developed to
diversity and equality responsibilities.
meet the Diversity
•  review all plans developed
By July 2008
And, make improvements to services
Challenge
in response to the Diversity

and products
Challenge. (The Challenge was
issued throughout Jobcentre

Plus in May 2007)
•  identify good practice
Ongoing
developed and implemented
in response to the Challenge.
Publicise and share this
with colleagues across the
Department

Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
6. Promote a positive  We will:
To work towards mainstreaming
attitude towards
diversity into everyday activity
Gender equality
•  ensure all new policies
Ongoing
and processes are diversity

impact assessed and that all

assessments cover opportunities
to maximise the promotion of a
positive attitude towards gender
equality
•  diversity impact assess all
A detailed
current functions and policies,
timetable is at
ensuring that the assessments
Annex 2
cover opportunities to maximise
the promotion of a positive
attitude towards gender
Jobcentr
e Plus
41

42
Jobcentr
Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
7. Encourage
We will:
We have in place effective and robust
participation and
mechanisms for involvement and
involvement of our
•  continue to work with the
Ongoing
consultation using customers’ feedback
customers
Customer Representative

Groups Forum, which includes

representation from Child

Poverty Action Group and One
Parent Families
•  where appropriate, act on the
Ongoing
feedback that we receive
8. Provide the
We will:
Jobcentre Plus staff have a better
opportunity for staff
understanding of our customers’ lives
to develop links
•  provide staff with the
300 days activity
and the issues and barriers they face
with our customers
opportunity to volunteer in
to be completed
through working
community based activity at
by July 2008
with voluntary and
local, regional and national
community based
level. In total 3,000 staff days
organisations
will be freed up for this activity
over the coming year. Activity
will be focused on developing
links with our priority customers

Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
Description
9. Ensure that our
We will:
Staff are confident in meeting the needs
diversity and equality
of diverse customers
training is effectively  •  re-launch our foundation
Spring 2008
delivered to all our
training which is designed for all
staff
staff within Jobcentre Plus, with
a particular emphasis on those
providing customer service
•  support the development and
Ongoing
delivery of new services to our

priority customers
•  review and evaluate the
Ongoing
effectiveness of training using
feedback from customers and
staff
10. Continue to
We will:
Issues for male and female staff are
analyse staff survey
identified and addressed
results and put in
•  analyse the Jobcentre Plus
Annually
place measures to
annual staff survey by gender.
achieve positive
Staff Diversity Network Group
changes
responsible for gender issues
will lead and flag issues for
progression to the appropriate
policy team
Jobcentr
e Plus
43

44
Jobcentr
Gender Equality
To be Achieved
Action Plan
Steps to Achieve
Intended Outcomes
By (Date)
e Plus
Description
11. Ensure that
We will:
July 2008
We have in place Staff Diversity
our Staff Diversity
Network Groups that can make a
Network Groups are
•  undertake a review of the
positive contribution to the business
empowered to make
Groups to ensure that they are
a real contribution to
operating effectively
our business
12. Jobcentre Plus will  We will:
To identify whether our action plan
review its assessment
requires amendments
of functions and
•  review our current assessment
March 2011
policies

Jobcentre Plus
Annex 6 – Other Diversity Areas
Achievements and Progress
Age
•  Jobcentre Plus continues to ensure that its services are available to customers
regardless of age, and routinely includes age equality considerations as part of
Diversity Impact Assessments.
•  In addition we offer services specifically designed for people of different ages, who
may have different needs, for example New Deal 50+.
•  As a member of The Age and Employment Network (TAEN) we support and
encourage older people to continue working, and to adapt their skills to changing
labour market conditions.
•  We have in place a strong Staff Diversity Network Group which focuses on age
equality issues for both staff and customers.
•  It is our policy not to accept vacancies from employers who discriminate on the
grounds of age. We have recently revised and reissued guidance to staff to help
them identify vacancies that may be discriminating on the grounds of age.
•  Guidance available to staff includes links to Employment Equality (Age) Regulations
2006, and questions and answers. This provides background to the impact of age
legislation and covers key issues about the regulations.
Sexual Orientation
•  We have in place a strong Staff Diversity Network Group which focuses on sexual
orientation equality issues for both staff and customers.
•  We contributed to the Department’s achievement of reaching 74th place in
Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2008 with 76%. This is 3% up on 2007.
•  Staff continue to use the DWP produced DVD “Getting it Right”, which promotes
positive attitudes to sexuality throughout the Department.
•  Guidance available to staff includes links to legislation and an explanation of what
it means for the Department and Jobcentre Plus.
45

Jobcentre Plus
Religion or Belief
•  Issues on equality in relation to Religion and Belief are considered by our Staff
Diversity Network Group responsible for race, religion and belief.
•  Staff have access to the Department’s Diversity Toolkit, which is an online resource
that provides information, advice and guidance on diversity and equality issues.
•  Jobcentre Plus recently circulated the ‘Diversiton’ Diversity Calendar 2008 to help
raise awareness of key dates for customers and staff.
46

Further copies of this publication and in
other formats, such as Braille, audio and
other languages, can be obtained by:
Email: adelphi.diversityandequality@dwp.
gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0114 259 7820
Textphone: 0114 259 6308
Fax: 0114 259 6147
All DWP Equality Schemes are available at:
www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/equalityschemes
978-1-84763-479-5