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<p>There are no plans to assess poverty levels in connection with closures of individual
sites such as Tile Hill Jobcentre.</p><p> </p><p>I would stress that the office mergers
are not about reducing services but about taking the opportunity to stop spending
money on empty space so we can spend more on supporting those in need. The face-to-face
support our work coaches offer at jobcentres will continue to be a core part of the
service we deliver.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>National statistics on the number
of individuals in relative low income are set out in DWP’s annual ‘Households Below
Average Income’ publication. Latest 3-year estimates for the West Midlands region
in 2013/14 - 2015/16 show the rate of individuals in low income households at 19%,
before housing costs.</p><p> </p><p>The number and proportion of individuals in relative
low income is not available at a local authority or constituency level because the
survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of robust estimates at
this geography. Estimates to 2016/17 have been pre-announced to be published in March
2018.</p>
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