A partnership which aims to relieve the stress for workers who lose their jobs due to company insolvencies has helped over 2,600 people in the North West, according to a new report.
The initiative brings together R3, the trade body for insolvency practitioners, with Jobcentre Plus and the Insolvency Service to provide early warning of pending redundancies. Insolvency practitioners alert the other partners as soon as they think there are likely to be more than 20 redundancies, which enables Jobcentre Plus to deploy their Rapid Response Service to help the workers affected to find new employment, claim benefits and access training.
The North West committee of R3 has been particularly active in promoting the scheme among its membership. According to figures produced by the partners, at least 2,600 people in the region have been helped by the scheme since April 2011.
Jeremy Oddie, the North West chair of R3 who is also head of business recoveries at Mitchell Charlesworth, said: “Insolvency Practitioners’ try hard to rescue businesses and save jobs wherever possible but unfortunately in the current climate this is not always possible.
“In these cases, it is important to provide support for those who do lose their jobs. The early warning system allows Jobcentre Plus to target their resources and provide advice and assistance through the Rapid Response Service. It aims to address the effects of job losses on individuals and on the local community by helping people move rapidly into alternative employment without the need to claim welfare benefits.”
Vicky Jeffers from Jobcentre Plus said: “The partnership we have developed locally has had significant benefits for Jobcentre Plus. The support from Jeremy has helped us to understand the reasons for insolvency, forge local relationships with insolvency practitioners, which in turn helps to ensure that we are offering support and information at the right time to those affected by redundancy.”