§ Harry CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether every aspect of ONE is being transferred to Jobcentre Plus and will continue to function; and if he will make a statement. [48885]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe ONE pilots are significantly closer to the Jobcentre Plus model than other Jobcentres and social security offices. However, some changes will be necessary to enable them to deliver the full Jobcentre Plus service.
The main changes to ONE will be the introduction of new management structures and the movement from operating the ONE Work Focused Interview regulations to the Jobcentre Plus regulations that exclude housing benefit and council tax benefit from the range of benefits covered.
We are encouraging Jobcentre Plus and local authority managers to build on the framework of liaison and service level agreements that already exist. This will help to ensure that the efficient administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit, which is so important for many of the people using our services, not least in helping the transition to work.