As figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions show that employment in the North West is at near record high, those behind the scenes at the Jobcentre urge people to view it in a different light.

The branch on Black Horse Street was put in the limelight in February thanks to the BBC documentary Universal Credit: Inside The Welfare State, which looked at the controversy surrounding universal credit.

However, the Jobcentre is not solely about Universal Credit and the staff there are busting the myths which surround it.

Helen, the customer service leader, said; “We work to make it as welcoming as possible here. It’s a safe, warm environment.

"Some people are frightened of being pushed into work, they feel they are not ready. We get them to a point where they feel ready. We work with employers so they can tap into the talent that's walking through the door.”

They hope that new technology will ease some of the worries people have. At the moment they currently use an online messaging service which provides a lot more flexibility when it comes to organising meetings.

Amy, the senior operations leader, said: “We’re looking forward to the future, we’re going to be trialling a virtual tour so it’s a bit less daunting and helps break those barriers down a little bit."

Michael, the disability employment lead, revealed that they are putting measures in place to help those who find traditional routes into employment difficult.

He said: “We encourage the number of people with disabilities to get into work and to begin that journey, for example, we’re organising group interviews for people with autism. We’re getting feedback from people to help improve the service.”

In the BBC documentary there was a focus on the advanced payment system within Universal Credit, with those receiving it struggling to pay it back.

But work coach Annie explains that people are offered support and guidance, and often it is other issues which come into play.

She said: "The advance payment is to get used to budgeting monthly. People are informed about the amount they want to borrow and we make sure it's affordable paying it back.

"It enables them to cover their rent and cover their bills. But some people do have historical debt which they bring with them when they come onto Universal Credit.

"Don't delay getting support, as circumstances can change last minute."

Helen said: "We don't want people sat at home worrying about their situation. We're human and the service is here to support you.

"Lots of us have experience of what you're going through."

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that the number of people employed in the North West is at a near record high of 3.53million, which is up 30,000 on the year.

The employment rate is at 75.8% which is a near record high for the region.

The number of people in workless households within the region has fallen since October-December 2010 by 256,000.