General advice Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Understanding Universal Credit

Pensions advice

older couple being shown forms If you have reached or are approaching pension age you may need advice about pensions or retirement.

To find out what happens about your workplace pension, ask your previous employer or pension provider. To find out more about your State Pension, including how much you can get and when you can claim it, visit www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

If you are aged 50 or over and have a defined contribution pension you can have a free, impartial guidance appointment with Pension Wise. Call 0800 138 3944 to book an appointment or go to www.pensionwise.gov.uk

For independent advice on pensions, visit www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk

If you need to know how pensions may be affected by insolvency, visit www.pensionprotectionfund.org.uk

Get advice on redundancy-related issues

signpost to help, support and guidance

There is a range of advice and support available if you have been made redundant or are at risk of redundancy.

To find out more about your rights go to:

If you have been made redundant by an insolvent employer go to: www.gov.uk/government/publications/redundancy-payments-rp1-fact-sheet

If you live in Scotland or Wales:

Scotland – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) is the Scottish Government’s partnership framework, helping people dealing with redundancy. Phone the Scottish redundancy helpline on 0800 917 8000 or visit www.redundancyscotland.co.uk

Wales – The Welsh Government’s redundancy action scheme (ReAct) helps people deal with redundancy. There are various sources of help available. Visit www.careerswales.com/en/jobs-and-training/unemployment-and-redundancy/

For budgeting and money advice, visit:

If you need to talk to someone about coping with redundancy, visit:

What benefits you could be eligible for?

cogs that read financial support If you have been made redundant, you may be eligible to claim benefits whilst looking for your next job and as you take the first steps in your new career.

Go online to www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators to find full details about all of the benefits available.

Universal Credit may support you if you are on a low income or out of work. It includes a monthly payment to help with your living costs. If you need to make a claim, apply at www.gov.uk/universal-credit or find out more at www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk

You may be able to claim contribution based benefits if you have paid enough National Insurance contributions over the last 2/3 complete tax years. If you are not sure whether you have paid enough contributions over the previous 2 / 3 tax years (having been in paid employment in that period), you should make a claim. We will make the necessary checks with HMRC to establish if you are entitled.

You can find out more about new style Jobseeker’s Allowance at www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance and new style Employment and Support Allowance at www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance. You may also be entitled to Universal Credit if you wish to claim for dependants and / or rent.

Update your skills

tiles spelling skills

Your local jobcentre can help you identify your skills, experience, career aspirations and potential training needs. They could also help arrange training for a specific trade or craft and work experience if you’re eligible.

Voluntary work can be a great way to help you get new skills and build confidence in a different field of work. Find out what is on offer at www.gov.uk/government/get-involved/take-part/volunteer or contact your local volunteer centre. You can find your nearest volunteer centre here: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/ncvo-volunteering/find-a-volunteer-centre

If you are considering a change in career or want to understand your finances, the mid-life MOT is available as an online signposting package to help you plan for important changes.

It can act as a useful stocktake to encourage better planning around the areas of work, finances and health. The work and skills section of the mid-life MOT can signpost you to the support you need to return into employment.

To find out more go to www.yourpension.gov.uk/mid-life-mot/

Remember to update your CV with your new skills, training and experience.

Get additional support

figure of man working across wooden block bridge

Redundancy can be a hard situation to find yourself in. If you are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition, you may want some extra support in finding the new job that is right for you.

Your local jobcentre will be able to tell you about the help that is available. For example, Access to Work helps people with disabilities or health conditions to find and succeed at work. Visit www.gov.uk/access-to-work to find out more.

Find a Job (www.gov.uk/jobsearch) allows you to filter your search to focus on employers who have registered to the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to employing people with disabilities or health conditions.

Widen your job search

While your local jobcentre and online job searches are a great place to start, don’t limit yourself when looking for your next job.

Here are some places you should try as part of your job search:

Send out your CV to companies you would like to work at. Make sure you tailor you cover letter to say why you are getting in touch with them, what kind of job you are looking for, and why they should hire you.
Company websites or visit them in person – Not all employers recruit in the same way, some only advertise vacancies on their own website, where you may be able to apply online. Visiting potential employers in person shows how keen you are and you may be able to leave a copy of your CV. This will be your first chance to make a good impression – so make sure you are well presented and prepared.
Newspapers and trade journals – Find out what day your local paper advertises jobs and make sure you pick up a copy. Trade journals are magazines or newspapers about a specific trade or industry, like IT or manufacturing and will likely advertise job vacancies in that field.
Word of mouth – Speak to your family and friends to ask if they know of any vacancies, this could help you get to know about potential jobs early and they may even be able to introduce you to the recruiting manager.
Job fairs – Check with your local jobcentre or in newspapers for local job fairs. Job fairs are a great place to speak to lots of recruiters all in one place and find out more about careers you might not have considered.
Social media – Look on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and like or follow employers you may like to work for. Your local jobcentre may have their own Twitter feed advertising vacancies and local events to help you back to work. You can also follow @JCPJobsPlusMore to learn more about national employment opportunities and career information.
Social media can be a helpful tool when looking for jobs, but make sure your online presence isn’t hurting your chances of getting a job.
Apprenticeships – Find out what is on offer www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
Self-employment – Search online for www.gov.uk/browse/business or find out about more opportunities:
England – www.nationalenterprisenetwork.org
Scotland – www.bgateway.com
Wales – www.business.wales.gov.uk

Tweeting yourself out of a job: Don’t let social media derail your job search

We’ve all done it: hit Twitter and let vent, knowing that the couple of hundred loyal friends and followers will sympathise with our plight. Which is great and all… unless you’re looking for a job.

Boring as it is, policing your language on social media is necessary in 2016. For example, avoiding too many unnecessary swearwords, trying not to live-tweet every episode of daytime TV, and avoiding the temptation to rail in frustration at the lack of replies to job applications. If you think employers aren’t Googling you before getting in touch about an interview, you’re wrong.

While social media is a place to be yourself (and can lead to job opportunities: being funny and human on Twitter can get you far in creative industries, and it’s a great tool for networking with), you can do yourself a disservice if a potential employer looks at your profile and sees you getting in fights, sharing weird videos on Facebook, or admitting you’re having your first drink before 1pm. If you’ve got ‘communication skills’ listed on your CV, social media is a great way to showcase them; if not, use your social media presence to hone them.

Stay motivated, set a GOAL

graphic of goal net

Jobcentre Plus work coach, Anna Ogilby, gives her tips on remaining motivated and up-beat during those difficult moments when looking for a job.

My name is Anna Ogilby. I’m a work coach at Goole Jobcentre. Every day I help customers to find work and I’m often there at the sharp end when they get those rejection letters from a job they really wanted.

I know how much rejection can hurt in job search, as well as in life. This is my advice for picking yourself up and moving on if that happens.

Get active! Get some fresh air. Staying active is the best way to keep yourself motivated. It stops you getting despondent and helps generate new ideas. Treat each day as a new day and keep your body and mind active whatever disappointment you encounter.

Own it. If you weren’t successful at an interview or you’re not getting responses from employers, consider the reasons why. Is there anything you can do differently? Self evaluate and be frank and totally honest with yourself. Don’t forget to also “own” your achievements and have confidence!

Always ask for feedback. Don’t miss an opportunity to ask for this to give you something to build on. Be pro-active and contact employers if you haven’t heard from them since you applied for the job. It shows initiative and puts you in a better position for future vacancies, even if you weren’t successful on the first occasion. It is not uncommon for previous candidates to be employed for future vacancies in the same role.

Learn. Never pass up on a learning opportunity. Does feedback indicate you have a skills gap? If so, what can you do about it? Enrol in study/training, volunteer and ask about work experience etc. Ask your work coach about what’s available locally to help you. Don’t miss opportunities to move forward.

Never lose sight of your GOAL. Positivity breeds results!

How to Stay Motivated

man looking at mibile phone

It’s easy to lose motivation when job searching. So what can you do to get out of that slump and back on track? Work Coach Bethan Evans, from Aberdare Jobcentre in South West Wales, shares her top tips.

Studies have shown that rejection in any form can completely destroy self-control, whether it’s towards a diet, getting to bed early or job searching. As a job seeker, the sad likelihood is that you will at some point face rejection.

So how do you get back up from that ‘unfortunately you have not been successful…’ response? The first step is simple. Understand that it’s not personal! I cannot stress this enough. For any one job, there can be hundreds of people applying. A failed application does not mean a failed jobseeker. I know it can be tough to get a rejection, or worse, no response at all, especially if you’ve put in a lot of effort. But it’s never wasted time. All the work you put into that one application has moved you closer to a successful application.

Use small rewards to help you stay motivated. Sent out three CVs? Completed an application form? Secured an interview? Then treat yourself. Whether it’s half an hour on the PlayStation or a bar of chocolate – whatever it is that will give you that little buzz – do it, you deserve it!

Now you are in a better frame of mind, start to focus on what it is you have that will appeal to employers. Everyone has a unique set of skills and experience to offer. Sit down and have a think about what it is you’ve got that others might not. Think about compliments and positive feedback you’ve received in the past. What were you doing at the time? You might just realise you have a whole host of skills that you’d never even thought of. Jot them down on your CV and fire up the search engine!

Finally, focus. Focus on where you want to be, not where you are. If you have a destination in mind, you’ll better understand the journey to getting there. Ask yourself, what do I need to do to achieve this? Once you’ve asked that question, you can start answering it.