8 little-known ways to get help finding a job, including access to free advice on alternative careers
MILLIONS of Brits are facing unemployment because of the coronavirus pandemic, meaning job hunts will be more competitive than ever.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that 1.3 million people who are currently furloughed won’t ever go back to that job – but are heading for unemployment instead.
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At the same time, official statistics show that 131,000 people have left self-employment and are therefore likely to be hunting for new roles.
At the same time, firms up and down the country are falling into administration and announcing redundancies, which means there are fewer vacancies for each person looking for a job.
Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown says: "There are about 20 people going for every job at the moment, and in some areas it’s closer to 50.
";So if your job is under pressure, you need all the help you can get finding a new one."
Fortunately, there are plenty of government schemes specifically designed to help people looking for work, including several new ones that have been announced to help people struggling because of coronavirus.
Here's eight little known schemes that can help you get back into work if you've lost your job or business.
JobCentre's rapid response scheme
The JobCentre has a rapid response service, which has lots of tools to help you find a new role.
You need to create an account and then you can search for suitable jobs with 147,000 registered employers.
There are separate sections for jobs facing critical shortages, which aim to encourage you to consider an alternative role in industries with high demand – such as social care.
You should check private job search boards too, such as Monster and Indeed.
More spaces should be available from 1 August as the government will pay employers £1,500 for every apprentice brought into the business aged 25 and over and £2,000 for everyone under 25.
Coles says: "Sector based workplace academies have been around since 2011, offering training, work experience and a guaranteed interview.
You can to help with the costs of a course at a college or training provider in England.
Find out more about the scheme
Sector-specific help schemes
Construction has been one of the sectors most hard hit by coronavirus, so the government is stepping in to help.
Later this month, a new Construction Talent Retention Scheme will be launched, which aims to help redeploy people at risk of redundancy.
The government is also creating a new Office for Talent based in No.10, with delivery teams across government departments.
The Office will focus on attracting, retaining and developing top research and science talent across the UK and internationally.
There is help for people who want to save the environment too. The government is investing up to £40 million in a Green Jobs Challenge Fund for environmental charities and public authorities to create and protect 5,000 jobs in England.
The jobs will involve improving the natural environment, including planting trees, restoring habitats, clearing waterways, and creating green space for people and wildlife.
Access to Work scheme
The Access to Work scheme is designed to help people who are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition stay in employment.
The scheme can help you speak to you employers about changes they need to make to support you, and can even provide grants to keep your job accessible.
An Access to Work grant can pay for:
- special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings
- help getting to and from work.
You can also apply to Access to Work to get money for a communication support worker to go to your job interview with you.
You can use this service if you:
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