Working Age claimants with complex needs: in-house research no. 12
Findings from a qualitative study of frontline Jobcentre Plus staff to find out how complex needs are defined and supported.
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Dan Donaldson
This small-scale qualitative study of frontline Jobcentre Plus staff was commissioned to supplement the existing evidence base that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) holds about working age claimants with complex needs.
The study explored:
- how complex needs are defined by Jobcentre Plus staff
- which claimants Jobcentre Plus staff consider to have complex needs and why
- areas for improvement to the service identified by staff
The fieldwork comprised 6 focus groups of Jobcentre Plus staff, conducted during July and August 2011. They took place in:
- Greater Manchester
- East London
- Durham and Tees Valley
- Glasgow
- Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire
- Thames Valley
- West Yorkshire
DWP will use the findings from the research to inform ongoing efforts to improve service delivery for working age claimants with complex needs. The research will also add to the wider evidence base for working-age claimants with complex needs to inform the implementation of welfare reform policies and future policy developments.