Jobseekers embrace digital revolution
The proportion of claims made online has more than doubled in a year – saving money and paving the way for Universal Credit.
Employment Minister Mark Hoban has hailed the dramatic rise in online claims as the digital revolution in action. In August 2011 only around 1 in 10 people claimed online. That increased to 3 in 10 in August 2012 – and a year later this has rocketed to 8 in 10.
Jobseekers are also increasingly finding jobs online – the government’s new jobsite, Universal Jobmatch, which automatically matches people’s skills to a job which suits them, is now receiving more than 5 million searches every day.
Mark Hoban, Employment Minister said:
The modern world is digital. Many employers only advertise vacancies online, and most want their new recruits to have IT skills. So it is vital that we support jobseekers to develop the skills they need.
These figures show that our efforts are paying off, with jobseekers flocking to use Universal Jobmatch and 80% embracing the opportunity to manage their benefits online. People are showing us that they are ready for the digital shift that Universal Credit will bring.
The focus on online services is part of a cultural change in how people will interact with the welfare state and is an essential part of Universal Credit. The new benefit is claimed and interacted with online. As well as being more convenient for claimants, this digital push better prepares them for the world of work, where digital skills are increasingly required.
More information
In August 2011 only around 1 in 10 (15.1%) new claims for Jobseeker’s Allowance were made online. By August 2012 the figure was 3 out of 10 (32.1%). By August 2013, 8 out of 10 claims (82.5%) were made online. The telephony channel remains in place for those who need it.
People claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance are encouraged to use Universal Jobmatch, which was launched last year to automatically match people’s CVs to appropriate jobs. More than 4.3 million jobseekers, and 450,000 employers have now registered, and the site is currently seeing an average of more than 5 million daily job searches.
See DWP business plan transparency measures: proportion of new claims to JSA submitted online
Press Office
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
London Press Office (national media and London area enquiries only – not questions about personal claims) 020 3267 5144
Out-of-hours (journalists only) 07623 928 975
England and Wales (local media enquiries) 029 20 586 then 097 or 098 or 099
Scotland (local media enquiries) 0131 310 1122
Media enquiries for this press release – 0203 267 5137
Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/dwppressoffice