BURY will reap the rewards of a radical new service to help the jobless into work and provide benefit advice.

Jobcentres in the borough and elsewhere in the country will be revamped to equip them to deliver the enhanced Jobcentre Plus service which places work at the forefront of customer service.

Every claimant who can work will experience a one-to-one-work-focussed interviewer as a condition of receiving benefit.

Terry Moran, field director for the North West, said: "Change on this scale will not happen overnight.

"Members of the public should continue to use their local Jobcentre and social security office until Jobcentre plus arrives in Bury and Bolton over the next few years.

"We will be in a position to learn best practice lessons from colleagues as Jobcentre plus is implemented in other areas. This should help make the transition in Bury and Bolton a smooth one."

Bill Marks, district manager for Bury and Bolton, said: "We will continue to maintain a professional and efficient service to people who are out of work and claiming benefit.

"With access to some 400,000 vacancies with the touchscreen Jobpoints in our office, our customers have a variety of ways to find work opportunities swiftly and simply."