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Weekly blog email updates: please note that this service has had to be temporarily suspended with effect from the week beginning 29th Jan 2024 whilst we move to a new system. The update will still be provided here on the blog and will re-start by email as soon as possible.

If you’re not already on our subscriber list and would like to receive a weekly summary of the main blog posts for your location (or as many locations as you wish across the HIVE’s worldwide network) please sign up using this link

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Tuesday 29 August 2023

‘Going Forward into Employment’ (GFiE): Civil Service Job Vacancies for Service Leavers, Veterans and their Spouses/Partners

For further information please see the full GFiE guide at A complete guide to GFiE - Veterans, Military Partners/Spouses and Service Leavers - Life Chances - Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) (blog.gov.uk)

Going Forward into Employment (GFiE): Plymouth DWP Job Vacancy for Service Leavers, Veterans and their Spouses/Partners

GFiE has a new role available within the Department for Work and Pensions in Plymouth, with a closing date of Monday 11th September 2023: GFIE-257 - Targeted Case Review Agent - Plymouth. This role is only available to Service Leavers, Veterans and their spouses/partners.

The Targeted Case Review Agent role would really suit candidates who love working with the general public and across teams (internal and external), who have strong decision making skills and are able to analyse and present information. The candidate should have a willingness to learn how to deliver a DWP service using digital methods.

This role comes with the opportunity to complete either a Customer Service or Business Administration apprenticeship, this is a chance for someone to 'earn as they learn' and develop great transferable skills for the future.

​Please find attached the job description (including all key details).


Completed Expression of Interest form and latest CV to be sent to gfie@cabinetoffice.gov.uk​

Wednesday 16 August 2023

National Careers Service - help with your exam results


Whether you got the grades you expected or not, there are lots of options available to you.

Find out how you can get the jump on your next steps with the National Careers Service

Togetherall - setting yourself up for success


Sometimes we can all feel stuck, whether in work, relationships or just everyday life itself. However, there are things we can do to understand these feelings to become more productive and motivated.

With Togetherall, you can try journallling, setting goals or taking a course to keep yourself on track and feeling good.

Togetherall is FREE to UK Military, Veterans and family members 16+ join at Togetherall

(FOR BLOG) Please click the link to watch Togetherall's information video or click the image above:

​​​Setting yourself up for success animation

NHS MMR Vaccine

Parents and carers of children are being reminded of the importance of routine vaccinations, with hundreds of thousands of texts, emails and letters being sent from this week encouraging families to book their child in for an MMR vaccine.

The NHS is contacting parents and carers of around 740,000 children aged between one and six who have not yet had one or both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, encouraging them to make an appointment with their child's GP practice.

One in ten children are not currently up to date with their MMR vaccinations – despite general practices continuing to offer routine immunisations.

Measles, mumps and rubella are highly infectious illnesses that can easily spread between unvaccinated people. Complications from these diseases can be potentially life changing.

Children need two doses of the safe and effective MMR vaccine, with the first dose given around the child's first birthday, and the second dose given at around three years and four months old. Both doses are needed to ensure full and lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

The NHS has also sent out over 1.5 million invitations to parents of two to three years olds to get their flu vaccination ahead of winter. Where possible, children can receive their MMR catch up vaccine at the same time as their flu vaccine.

Parents and carers can find out more about the different vaccines their child should have and when by visiting www.nhs.uk and searching for 'NHS vaccinations and when to have them'.

MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Friday 11 August 2023

Dept for Work and Pensions weekly update

An update from the Dept for Work and Pensions and includes:
  • the move from Tax Credits to Universal Credit
  • List of employers who have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme
  • financial support for bereaved parents​
Information regarding the move from Tax Credits to Universal Credits (UC) is now available online.

Employers that have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme

This document lists the employers that have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, and their status (committed, employer or leader) to end of July 2023.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is reminding bereaved parents to check their eligibility for financial support. In February 2023 the government extended eligibility for Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance to cohabiting parents with dependent children. The benefits are designed to help with the financial impact of losing a partner.

Previously these benefits were only available to eligible bereaved parents who were married or in a civil partnership, but the law was changed to make it fairer to children.

When DWP extended eligibility in February 2023, it opened a 12-month window for cohabiting parents to backdate their claims. This means parents whose partner died before 9 February 2023 have until 8 February 2024 to claim. After this, it will not be possible to claim Widowed Parent’s Allowance and parents will not get their full entitlement to a backdated payment of Bereavement Support Payment.

Friday 4 August 2023

HM Forces Veterans' ID Card


The Ministry of Defence and Office for Veterans' Affairs are​​ building an application process to support the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card rollout later this year. They want to hear your views on this.

If you are a veteran who served in HM Armed Forces, please complete the below survey to help the team: 

Armed Forces Covenant - Duty Toolkit


The Armed Forces Covenant website now hosts a Duty Toolkit, with reference documents, guides, resources and training material to help explain the legal Duty aspect of the Armed Forces Covenant. Please visit: Armed Forces Covenant Duty toolkit - Armed Forces Covenant​ for further information.

Tuesday 1 August 2023

Togetherall: Knowing where to turn for support can be daunting

For all platforms please. The images relate to the videos so please place by the links (or link the image). Thank you Amy for uploading the videos to Google Drive, so the links are ready to use :)

Knowing where to turn for support can be daunting.

Togetherall is a free, safe & anonymous online community to support your mental health. There is no waiting list to join Togetherall and it is accessible 24/7.

​✅ FREE to anyone in the UK Military, Veterans & Family members aged 16+
✅ Visit www.togetherall.com to join today.

Please click the links to watch Togetherall's information videos:

Introducing Togetherall