In Birmingham, our Pathways to Work operation works with Birmingham City Council on their ‘Targeted Discretionary Housing Payments’ project, which aims to improve the financial circumstances of people making the transition from benefits to work.
Ingeus’ main goal is to assist people into jobs that last, and this partnership provides our clients with essential financial support while they adjust to moving off benefits. The project supports Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit claimants for the first 12 weeks that they are in work, by topping up payments they already receive.
Our strong relationship with the local authority contributes to the success of the partnership. For example, without our intervention the council would not be aware of households in which non-claimants obtain work (i.e. the offspring of the benefit claimant), which can impact on the amount of benefits received. Our feedback, along with that of other employment service providers, is currently shaping decisions made about eligibility for the scheme, through which we hope to widen the number of people who can access this support.
Jackie Lewis, Birmingham City Council’s Strategy Development Manager, says, “The contribution that Ingeus has made towards our project has been excellent. Not only have they made the most referrals of all the employment service providers but they also request regular progress updates on submitted applications and feedback on awards. Working closely with Ingeus on this project has financially assisted citizens of Birmingham due to the promptness of their referrals. Early referrals ensure that claimants are paid Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit along with the Targeted Discretionary Housing Payment allowance in a timely fashion, which alleviates financial hardship when they start work.”
We work alongside Birmingham City Council to help make the transition from benefits to work easier for local residents.