Now we’ve established the principle that people in debt need to be able to press ‘pause’ to clear the way to longer-term solutions, couldn’t that be applied to struggling jobseekers?

I was at a homelessness prevention meeting in Stroud last week. Money issues were, unsurprisingly, listed as one of the key barriers. There was a short discussion about how ‘Breathing Space’ can make a difference to people in arrears who need time to stop, plan and take action. Even some mortgage companies signpost advice on how to trigger the process. So, couldn’t we give jobseekers the same sort of window? 

It wouldn’t take much to create a pathway for jobseekers who are serious about finding work. A couple of months to clear many of the day-to-day worries about paying rent and feeding the kids before engaging in earnest with employment support could free up a lot of space.

When someone’s trapped in a cycle of debt, the pressure can be relentless. That’s why Breathing Space, launched in 2021, has been a lifeline for many. It gives people a 60-day pause on creditor action and freezes interest and charges while they work with a debt adviser to find a way forward. It acknowledges a crucial truth: You can’t solve long-term problems when short-term ones are screaming for attention.

It’s time we borrowed this thinking and applied it to employment.

At Clean Slate, we see how money worries get in the way of job hunting. Every day, we meet people who are desperate for change, who want to work, but whose energy is drained by the daily battle to make ends meet. If you’re not sure how you’re going to cover your bills, how can you concentrate on writing CVs or prepping for interviews?

This is where behavioural science helps make sense of things. The concept of ‘cognitive overload’ tells us that when people are overwhelmed by stress, their decision-making suffers. They’re more likely to avoid difficult tasks, miss opportunities and focus only on short-term survival. It’s not a lack of motivation or willpower. It’s how the brain works under pressure.

Research into scarcity (like the work of Mullainathan and Shafir) shows that people in poverty aren’t less capable, they’re just constantly forced to prioritise the urgent over the important. That’s why even a small reduction in mental load can free up capacity for planning and problem-solving.

We take a money-first approach to employment support for exactly this reason. We know that by helping people tackle their financial worries first, we create the conditions where job hunting becomes possible, desirable and even exciting.

Our Job Readiness Quiz, now in its test-and-learn roll-out phase, is designed to do just that. It helps participants take stock of both their financial wellbeing and the steps they might take to access work. It generates a personalised action plan, supported by Quids in! Money Coaches, many of whom have come through our services themselves. They know from experience that people need a moment to breathe before they can take steps forward.

During the pandemic, Jobcentre Plus sent hundreds of jobseekers along to us for help. DWP suspended the expectation for people to work, which gave us time to work with people in financial crisis. Many even reported feeling suicidal because they couldn’t see a way out. But with a structured approach, some quick wins, and a few hundred extra quid in their pocket, they could entertain the idea of taking further steps. The irony is that they began to tell us that maybe work was what they needed. And off they went to find some.

So, what if we introduced a ‘Job Hunting Breathing Space’? A recognised period during which unemployed people, especially those in hardship, are given support to stabilise their finances without pressure to jump straight into work-readiness activities. A time to get their ducks in a row, supported by trusted professionals, where the goal is to remove blockers so people can move forward on their own terms.

As with debt, breathing space for jobseekers is not about delay, it’s about making space for real, lasting change.

Because when people are ready, they don’t just take the next step, they leap.

You can read more about how our coaches help people in our blog ‘Paving the Way Out of Debt’, and how we use simple, accessible messaging to support behaviour change in ‘Getting the Message Across’.

Image: Miljan Zivkovic / Shutterstock