Jobless benefit claimants forced to spend up to 35 hours a week on the government’s digital jobcentre looking for work are struggling to do so due to problems getting connected.

A Guardian feature recently noted such people are often forced to compete for public computers, for example, in libraries, in order to achieve the required hours or face having their benefits cut. 

There is a large section of society lacking computers, broadband, email addresses or phones that function without regular top ups, the newspaper noted. 

It continued to say Jobcentres across the UK now provided free Wi-Fi and more than 6,000 job search terminals but with 791,200 jobseeker’s allowance claimants, it is not enough to service all those who need to be online for between 10 and 35 hours a week. 

Adding to the headache is the need to book an appointment to use the Jobcentre computers. 

Universal Jobmatch, the government’s digital replacement for the old jobcentre noticeboard, monitors online activity to make sure people are actively hunting for jobs. Jobseekers failing to meet job application targets can lose benefits for anything from four weeks to three years. 

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