JOBSEEKERS in Leigh and Atherton are now being signed up to a new way of claiming benefits.

As of Monday, new claimants are being signed up to universal credit, a single monthly payment instead of the six different benefits previously received fortnightly through job seekers' allowance (JSA).

The system aims to make it easier for claimants to find work, whether it be permanent of casual, by making it simpler for them to see how this will affect their benefits.

Minister for welfare reformLord David Freud told the Journal: “One of the things we are looking for is for people to become less dependent on the state.

“The programme will show people that they will be better off by working. They will be able to do small amounts of work, if that is all that is available, without having to sign up again.

“It takes away the worry if people want to take a job at the weekend or for just a week. Some people would be scared of that under the current system.”

Universal credit will apply to single people and couples while housing benefit instead of being paid directly to the landlord will be paid to the claimant for them to pass on.

“That will be difficult for some people so we have an alternative payment arrangement so it can still be paid directly to the landlord," said LordFreud.

“Couples will receive one payment for the household so they will have to decide which account it goes into and so on.

“Claimants will be paid monthly because we want to make being out of work as close to being in work as possible.

“We will be helping them with their budgeting and every job centre has new work coaches who have been well trained to help claimants into work.

“We are introducing a well tried process in Leigh and Atherton. The feedback we have got from people who are on it is that they like and it is more straight forward.”