Steps to allow jobseekers allowance claimants from the Bishops Castle area to sign on via post have been welcomed by local MP Philip Dunne.
Mr Dunne wrote to the Department of Work and Pensions to demonstrate that door to door journey times for his constituents travelling from Bishops Castle to Shrewsbury Jobcentre Plus exceed the one hour limit. Eligibility for postal claimants includes those who live more than one hour, in any direction, from the nearest Jobcentre using public transport. This exemption also applies where there is no public transport, by whether a claimant can reasonably be expected to walk from home to the Jobcentre.
Postal signing relates to a claimants ‘signing day’ (Work Search Review), and they will be still be required to attend Work Search Interviews, the frequency of which depends on how long a person has been claiming Jobseekers Allowance.
Mr Dunne said: “I’m delighted my representations to the Department for Work and Pensions have made clear claimants in South West Shropshire around the Bishops Castle area are now able to make use of Postal Signing.
This will help reduce the travel burden on claimants, so they can spend more time productively looking for work rather than travelling to and from the Jobcentre.
Fortunately, we have seen a reduction in the number of people in the Ludlow Constituency relying on Jobseekers Allowance by 65%. I hope this will fall further as more businesses create jobs and our welfare reforms take effect.”