Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help people made redundant during the Covid-19 outbreak return to work.

The Department for Work and Pensions stands ready to support anyone affected by redundancy, with our Rapid Response Service (RRS) offer. This is a service designed to give support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with redundancy.

This service is co-ordinated nationally by the National Employer and Partnership Team (NEPT) and is managed by Jobcentre Plus. Delivery partners include The National Careers Service, local training providers, Money Advice Service and the skills bodies in England. These services are offered by equivalents in the devolved administrations. In Scotland this is delivered by PACE on behalf of the Scottish Government and in Wales by REACT. Redundancy support in Northern

Ireland is devolved with separate funding and delivery arrangements.

The RRS offer has been developed so it can be delivered in a variety of formats including digital and face to face depending on employers and employees requirements.

The range of support available from JCP and partners may include:

• Connecting people to jobs in the labour market.
• Help with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for them.
• Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market)
• What benefits they may be entitled to and how to claim.