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This page brings you DWP news and announcements. It also includes important changes to our websites and publications we have added. If you want to find out about something from a previous period, please go to the archive

Archive news – 9 to 29 October 2007

Call for more ethnic minority women councillors

29 October

Being a councillor is still seen as a white, middle-class hobby for men, according to new research by the Government Equalities Office and the Fawcett Society.

Responding to the findings, Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equalities, has called for more ethnic minority women to take up roles in public life and wants the number of Black, Asian and ethnic minority women councillors to rise to around 1,000 to make councils fully representative and strengthen local democracy.

Currently, there are 19,689 councillors across England and only 168 of them are ethnic minority women, which is less than one per cent (0.9%) despite the fact that ethnic minority women make up 4.6 per cent of the UK population.

New team to tackle UK child poverty

29 October

A new team will be set up to drive forward the Government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty in the UK, it was announced.

The unit will bring together experts from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DSCF) with the remit of co-ordinating and developing policy with HM Treasury and across Whitehall to support the ongoing work to end child poverty.

Minister launches programme to help 200,000 into work

29 October

A new European Social Fund (ESF) programme for England backed by £2 billion from the European Union, has been launched by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, James Plaskitt, and European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla.

Launching the ESF programme for 2007-2013, James Plaskitt said: “Our priority is to help those who face the biggest barriers to work. Over the next seven years the ESF programme will help 200,000 people into jobs, and enable at least 140,000 of the most disadvantaged people make positive progress toward the labour market. It will help 80,000 disadvantaged young people into learning or a job."

Royal Mail industrial action – your questions answered

19 October

Industrial action by postal workers has been suspended. The DWP contingency arrangements for getting cheques to customers via local post offices have been suspended across the country apart from all Liverpool postcodes.

European Court of Justice rules on disability benefits

18 October

On 18 October, we received the judgement by the European Court of Justice on case C299/05 (European Commission v European Parliament and the Council).

The Court has decided that Disability Living Allowance (care component only), Attendance Allowance, and Carer’s Allowance are not ‘Special Non Contributory Benefits’. This may mean that, in certain circumstances, these benefits will be paid to customers who move from the UK to live in another country within the European Economic Area.

We will not know the precise implications until we have studied the terms of the judgement. This is likely to take several weeks.

If you think you may be affected by the decision you should contact the Disability and Carers Service:

Directgov will be kept updated with all the latest information.

Jobs are there for those who want them

17 October

More vacancies mean more opportunities for people across the length and breadth of the country.

New figures out today show employment is at the record level of 29.1 million, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance is down by 12,800 and the number of vacancies remains high at 668,800.

Personal Accounts – consumers given a voice

17 October

Consumer groups will be given a key role in advising on plans for the new personal accounts scheme which is being set up to help millions of people save for retirement.

A Consumer Representative Committee will work with the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority, the body advising on setting up the national pensions scheme.

The statistics that shocked me – Hain

16 October

Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain today revealed that statistics from around the world showing being out of work was bad for the health and well being of both parents and children had strengthened his resolve to see more people move from benefits into work.

Mr Hain was speaking at ‘Welfare Voices’, a conference co-hosted by Child Poverty Action Group and One Parent Families.

Royal Mail industrial action – your questions answered

15 October

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have reached agreement and the industrial action that was planned to start on Monday 15 October has been suspended.

Improving the health of working age people

11 October 2007

Practical steps to improve people’s health and help them remain in or return to work are the aim of the Government’s 'Call for Evidence' issued today, part of the first ever review of the health of the working age population.

At the launch, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain and Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson heard evidence from leading business and medical professionals on what action needs to be taken. Dame Carol Black, the Government’s first ever National Director for Health and Work, will lead the review and chaired today’s round-table event.

Peter Hain said: “Last year 175 million working days were lost to sickness absence, costing organisations about £650 per employee. But the human cost is worse. Without the right support people can slip into a life on benefits and lose contact with the labour market. We urgently need to address how we can improve people’s health and support them to stay in or return to work”.

Mental illness at work: confronting the stigma

10 October 2007

One in four people will personally experience a mental condition in their life, but more than half are too embarrassed to tell their employer, a new survey reveals.

Mental illness is increasing in the UK. It is the fastest growing cause of sick leave and the economic cost is vast; some 13 million working days are lost every year due to stress, depression, and anxiety, costing businesses £3billion.

Work and Pensions Minister Lord McKenzie and Health Minister Ivan Lewis today called on businesses to tackle the stigma attached to mental health conditions in the workplace, and launched a practical managers’ guide containing advice on how to support their staff.

50,000 more children lifted out of poverty

10 October

Around 50,000 children will be lifted out of poverty thanks to a move to give some of the poorest parents receiving child maintenance up to £20 extra each week, doubling to £40 from April 2010. In total this will benefit some 350,000 children.

The measures equate to more than £2,000 extra a year for some of the poorest families and were announced by the Government within the Pre-Budget Report.

Royal Mail industrial action – your questions answered

10 October

The recent round of 48 hour strikes called by the Communication Workers Union has been completed. However the CWU has announced a further rolling programme of industrial action from 15 October which will mean continued disruption to postal deliveries.

‘In work, better off’ webchats with Ministers

DWP Ministers took part in webchats to answer questions about the ‘In work, better off: next steps to full employment’ consultation paper.

‘In work, better off’ was published on 18 July and sets out proposals to help people, who have found it most difficult to find work, back into sustainable employment.

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