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<p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department has received a number of representations on the
removal of Customer Access Phones. The Department operates an Operational Stakeholder
Engagement Forum, made up of charities, community organisations and customer representative
groups, and this issue will be discussed at the next meeting of the Forum in May.</p><p>
</p><p>Jobcentres provide face to face support for claimants. Following the removal
of Customer Access Phones, claimants who require access to a phone in connection with
their benefit or job search will still be given controlled access to a telephone in
a Jobcentre.</p><p> </p><p>Ogmore constituents are served by several Jobcentres as
the Jobcentre network does not reflect constituency boundaries. A summary follows
by Jobcentre in the constituency:</p><p> </p><p>Bridgend Jobcentre</p><p>Customer
Access Phones have not yet been removed.</p><p> </p><p>Maesteg Jobcentre</p><p>Customer
Access Phones were withdrawn, replaced by a new assisted service of face to face support
in 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Llantrisant Jobcentre</p><p>Customer Access Phones were withdrawn,
replaced by a new assisted service of face to face support in 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Porth
Jobcentre</p><p>One Customer Access Phone is currently available; three were withdrawn
between November 2013 and January 2014, because of falling demand.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Jobcentre boundaries do not match constituency boundaries so
we can only provide a breakdown for Ogmore in total, these follow below:</p><p> </p><p>·
Total JSA claimants (March 2014): 1,559</p><p>(Source: ONS claimant count with rates
and proportions)</p><p> </p><p>· Total claimants (Working-age client group – key benefit
claimants (August 2013)): 10,510</p><p>(Source: DWP benefit claimants - working age
client group)</p>
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