Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response
Service
Action Fund:Introduction
Help is available to those affected by significant
redundancies, through existing Jobcentre Plus local
provision.
Under the Rapid Response Service (RRS), in exceptional
circumstances where there is no provision locally through
traditional routes, the RRS Action Fund can support an
individual towards a sustainable outcome.
The RRS Action Fund is not a grant that is to be used as
an incentive to take up work when initially made
unemployed, or as a means of bridging the transition
between benefit to work. There should already be sufficient
provision that is in place for this purpose.
The Action Fund can no longer pay for training.
Aims and objectives
The Action Fund has been designed to help people
affected by redundancy to make successful transition into
quality jobs. This is done by encouraging flexibility of
support, allowing decisions about the best approach to be
made for the individual.
Note: the RRS Action Fund will not be used to help those
people well-equipped and able to get back into work without
the need of Jobcentre Plus support.
Eligibility
The RRS Action Fund payments will only be available
if:
- The use of the Action Fund has been authorised by
the Jobcentre Plus RRS Project office for the
appropriate redundancy;
- The individual is under notice of redundancy, made
redundant or will have been made redundant (within the
previous 12 weeks);
- The individual has been made redundant or will be
made redundant as part of a redundancy that has been
declared significant by the Scottish Executive and
Jobcentre Plus;
- The needs of the client cannot be met/funded
through any other provision that is currently
available;
- The agreement to pay such funding has been made in
advance of the individual purchasing the relevant goods
or services. No retrospective claims will be allowed
under these agreements;
- If the client is seeking assistance e.g. a pair of
safety work boots or some tools, the client must have a
guaranteed job offer. (In these cases, a written
confirmation as to the guaranteed employment is
applicable, before authorisation of an Action Fund
payment), Jobcentre Plus will need to be assured of
this.
Job eligibility
Action Fund payments will only be considered where:
- The job/s under consideration for which assistance
is being sought, will last for or is expected to last
for six months;
- The job/s must be classed as full-time, i.e. 16
hours or more a week;
- The job/s is not seasonal work or a temporary
vacancy.
Client eligibility
There are no age limits on a client being considered for
an Action Fund payment, as long as the client meets all of
the above criteria.
There is also no limit on the period that the client
must have been employed with the relevant employer to gain
help via the RRS Action Fund.
Contact
Chris Dunn Telephone: 0131 221 4302
Jobcentre Plus Fax: 0131 221 4301
Argyle House E-mail:
Chris.Dunn@jobcentreplus.gov.uk
3 Lady Lawson Street
Edinburgh EH3 9SD