Benefit claimants targeted with new job 'hit squads' Mark Hoban, the minister for employment, said the long-term unemployed will lose their benefits unless they agree to an "intensive and uncompromising regime" supervised by specially-trained Job Centre staff. We'll be stepping up the pressure on claimants, who will be expected to attend the Jobcentre more frequently, with rigorous monitoring to ensure they are doing everything they can to find work. The Department for Work and Pensions is providing an £30 million to pay for extra training and specialist help, such as counselling for people dependent on drugs and alcohol. Some claimants will have to meet their job advisers every day, while others will be required to check in weekly. Officials said Jobcentres involved in a pilot scheme found that claimants targeted by an intensive approach were much less likely to stay on benefit.