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<p>With 1.25 million job vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting
people to move into, and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence
about the importance of employment - particularly where it is full-time - in substantially
reducing the risks of poverty.</p><p> </p><p>To help people into work across Great
Britain, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all Jobseekers with
our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart
scheme. We are extending the support jobcentres provide to people in work and on low
incomes to help them to increase their earnings and move into better paid quality
jobs. This new in-work progression offer started to roll-out from April 2022. Once
fully rolled out, we estimate that around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be
eligible for support. This will be provided by work coaches and focus on removing
barriers to progression such as support with childcare or addressing skills gaps.</p><p>
</p><p>This new progression offer is in addition to a change the government made last
month to the Administrative Earnings Threshold in Universal Credit. By raising the
threshold on 26<sup>th</sup> September 2022, approximately 114,000 more UC claimants
on the lowest incomes will benefit from regular work coach support. The then Chancellor
announced that we would go further and raise the threshold again from January 2023
to expand this support to approximately 120,000 more people.</p><p> </p><p>This is
on top of the support already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50
per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 a year (on average)
through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances</p><p> </p><p>The
government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and
has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills. The Energy
Price Guarantee is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs, and
the Chancellor made clear it will continue to do so from now until April next year.
This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier
this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided
through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>This also includes up to £650
in cost-of-living Payments (paid in 2 lump sums of £326 and £324) which have targeted
support at around 8 million low-income households on means-tested benefits. In addition,
6 million eligible disabled people have received a one-off disability Cost of Living
Payment of £150 and pensioner households will receive a one-off payment of £300 through
and as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment from November.</p><p> </p><p>For those
who require additional support we have provided an extension to the Household Support
Fund backed by £421m, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.</p>
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