Skills and employment

If you’re struggling with the increasing cost of living, we can help you find ways to maximise your income by showing you how to make sure you are being paid fairly, supporting you to develop skills so you can get better paid work, and helping you find new employment opportunities.

If you’re employed, it’s important to make sure you’re being correctly paid for the work you do.

If you’re not sure whether you’re being paid fairly:

• Check your payslip to make sure you’re receiving at least the minimum wage for your age.
• Check your tax code and any deductions being taken from your pay are correct. Find out more about deductions

If you don’t have a trade union but need advice on your rights at work, you can contact the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100.

If you’re worried about losing your job, contact your trade union if you have one. If you’re not a member of a trade union, you can get advice on your rights at work by contacting the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100.

If you’re being made redundant, you can find out about your rights on the Government’s website. Specialist help is available before you’re made redundant, and for up to 13 weeks after redundancy. You can also get help from the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response service to:

• write CVs and find jobs
• find information on benefits
• find the right training and learn new skills
• organise work trials (if you’re eligible)
• get any extra help at work if you’re disabled, for example Access to Work

Apprenticeships – find an apprenticeship program in England

Whether you’re unemployed, want to earn more money or want to move your career forwards, there’s lots of support available to help you find the right opportunities for you.

The council runs a range of programmes designed to help people who are unemployed get back into employment.

If you’re between 16 and 24 years old, we run a one-stop service called My Future in Portsmouth, helping young jobseekers to find work and access training opportunities.

Job seekers can take advantage of a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card giving 50% off train travel to boost job searches and help job seekers get back to work. Find out whether you are eligible.

You can also get help from the Jobcentre Plus or find out about apprenticeships.

Get free support to develop your CV and apply for jobs through the National Careers Service by emailing skills.matching@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

If you want to boost your employment prospects, we can help you find the right training to develop the skills you need.

Our community learning service provides courses to gain qualifications for better paid work, as well as adult learning courses. The learning courses can help you with other skills to help you through the cost of living crisis, including budgeting.

You can also find information about opportunities to develop new skills from essential numeracy to advanced technical qualifications through Skills for life. Many of the courses are free too.