Jobcentres ‘failing small businesses’

Has Jobcentre Plus been effective for you?

Jobcentres are struggling to help small businesses recruit new employees and are failing to meet the needs of unemployed people, it is claimed.

A survey of 2,500 members of the Federation of Small Businesses found over a third said Jobcentre Plus was ineffective, while another 49% said they did not know if it worked well or not.

John Wright, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said many small businesses feel that Jobcentre Plus does little to help them employ. He said the FSB is concerned that Jobcentre Plus favours larger businesses giving them the lion’s share of its funding, and does not give small firms the support they need.

Meanwhile, research for Consumer Focus showed that jobseekers were too experiencing “real difficulties” when they asked for help and advice at the centres, some saying they were unhappy with the “poor service” they received.

An in-depth study of 40 people recently made unemployed showed they felt the service was rushed, adding that they were frustrated at having to wait six months to access training and help with starting a business.

A separate survey of 1,200 adults, most of whom were in work, revealed that more than half would not turn to jobcentres immediately to try to find a new job, while a similar number believed the service was only aimed at lower-skilled workers.

Tags: employees, employers, federation of small businesses, job vacancies, jobcentres, jobs, recruitment, small business, staff, umemployed