Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters

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1. Overview

Jobcentre Plus has a range of recruitment services that can help you as an employer. You could get:

You can also advertise a job with the ‘Find a job’ service (previously Universal Jobmatch).

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

2. Recruitment advice and support

Contact the Employer Services Line for advice about recruiting for your business.

It will connect you to a local Employer Adviser who will work with you to fill your vacancies. Employer advisers can:

  • give advice to help you write job descriptions
  • help you speed up your recruitment process
  • promote your vacancies in local job centres
  • allow you to use Jobcentre Plus offices to carry out interviews, where an office is available
  • invite you to local recruitment events to promote your vacancies
  • help you connect with other businesses in your area
  • work with you to plan your future recruitment campaigns

Contact the Employer Services Line

You can contact the Employer Services Line using the online enquiry form or by phone.

Employer Services Line
Telephone: 0800 169 0178
Textphone: 0800 169 0172
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

3. Work trials

A work trial is a short period in work you can offer to a jobseeker on benefits. It’s a way for you both to see if the job is a good fit.

It happens after you’ve interviewed them for a specific role. If they’re not suitable for it, you do not need to offer it to them.

Jobseekers volunteer for a work trial. They keep getting their benefits whilst they’re on it and are not paid a wage.

Eligibility

The work trial must:

  • only be used as a way for you and the potential employee to decide if they’re right for the role
  • be for a job where the jobseeker is the only person you’re considering hiring
  • be for a job which is at least 16 hours a week for at least 13 weeks

You need to agree the length of the work trial with the jobseeker before it starts. It must:

  • end when you’re sure about whether the jobseeker is suitable for the role
  • last no more than 5 days if the job is for less than 6 months
  • last no more than 30 days (and usually around 5 days) for jobs lasting 6 months or more

Jobcentre Plus will check that the employee has volunteered for the trial and that it meets the eligibility criteria.

How to carry out a work trial

You need to agree a work trial with Jobcentre Plus before you offer it to a jobseeker.

Contact the Employer Services Line to find out more.

4. Work experience and apprenticeships

Work experience

Work experience is available to:

  • all 18 to 24 year olds
  • people aged 25 and over who do not have any recent work history

If you offer a young person work experience you’ll be helping to give them a better chance of finding work.

Read the work experience guidance for employers to find out what’s expected of you.

Contact the Employer Services Line if you want help to become a work experience host.

Apprenticeships

These are organised through the Apprenticeship service and often follow a period of work experience. They combine practical training with study.

If you take on an apprentice, you can get funding to train them. You might also be able to get an apprenticeship grant if you run a small or medium-sized business.

Apprenticeships are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sector-based work academy programme

The sector-based work academy programme is a Jobcentre Plus employment scheme. It can help you fill your vacancies more effectively by providing training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview.

The sector-based work academy programme is only available in England and Scotland.