Available job vacancies for West Sussex above pre-pandemic levels

Emma Wareham, DWP Partnership Manager for West Sussex, discusses the latest figures.

"This week’s employment statistics highlight the great work being done by Work Coaches across West Sussex. A particular success in Chichester is the 50 Plus age group, where 10% more people have returned to work, than this time last year. In the same time frame, in Worthing, 8% more young people have returned to work.

“Jobcentre work coaches are working hard to help employers fill their vacancies and support people, whatever their situation, into their jobs.

“Locally we’ve been working with B&M who are recruiting for their Worthing store. We have held information sessions and supported 3 days of interviews at the Jobcentre. We are proud to have supplied 83% of the staff for the new store, with further recruitment support planned! For work coaches it’s really inspiring to see how the help they give to individual jobseekers makes a positive difference to their life.

“For those on Universal Credit more financial support is available, as people can keep more of what they earn, while parents can receive increased childcare payments.

“Meanwhile jobseekers can find their perfect match by searching our DWP ‘FindaJob’ website, which has thousands of jobs on offer.”

Minister for Employment, Jo Churchill MP, said: “With unemployment at just 3.8% and payroll employment at a record high, we are helping many more people access work and all the benefits it brings be it financial, health or social.

“Our pioneering welfare reforms are going further, helping reduce the number of people who would otherwise be on the highest tier of incapacity benefits by 370,000 and tearing down barriers to work for millions of disabled people through our Chance to Work Guarantee.

“Meanwhile our £2.5bn Back to Work Plan will drive down inactivity, grow the economy and change lives.”