The Work Programme
Aims of the Workshop:
• To provide a general overview of the Work Programme, what
it sets out to achieve and who will be responsible for
achieving it.
• To explore the ways in which VCS organisations can engage
with the Work Programme, the potential impacts upon
organisations from doing so and some of the advantages and
disadvantages.
What is It?
• Launched in June 2011 it is the major new ‘payment by
results’ welfare to work programme to support the 5 million
people receiving out-of-work benefits.
• It replaces previous programmes including Flexible New Deal,
Employment zones etc
• It is being delivered by a range of private, public and voluntary
sector organisations , who are expected to adopt innovative
approaches. (Prime Contractors and their sub-contractors)
• Job Centre+ retains responsibility for benefit delivery, overall
customer experience and supporting customers to find work
in the early stages of their benefit claim.
What is it trying to achieve
• Reduction in long term worklessness and in the number of
workless households.
• Providers delivering strong results and thereby ‘value for
money’
• Locally based providers delivering services that work for
people in their area
• An individual focus on participants, based on their needs, not
on what benefit they are receiving.
• DWP have said that the Work Programme is likely to represent
an investment of several hundred million pounds in the
Voluntary Sector
From a Customer’s point of view
• Requirement to access the programme at a defined point in
their benefit claim (dependent upon age, benefit and
circumstances).
• Work Programme providers can require customers to take
part in work related activity.
• Involvement with the Work Programme can last up to two
years.
• Customers should received tailored support that meets their
individual needs, takes account of their personal
circumstances and helps them to find suitable work.
• Complaints procedure.
The deal for Prime Contractors
• Five year contracts.
• Paid almost entirely by results with higher rewards for hard to help
participants. Payments can currently range from £400 for an initial start
(but no outcome)up to £13,700 for a person with a number of barriers to
work who obtains sustained employment.
• In their bids Prime Contractors were able to offer lower values as an
incentive to obtain contracts, many of the successful ones did so.
• More than half a million people are expected to join the programme each
year.
• Minimum expected performance levels, those Prime Contractors not
meeting targets may lose their contracts
• Higher performing Prime Contractors will be given an increased share of
participants
How can VCS organisations get
involved?
• Mainly by becoming sub-contractors to the Prime
Contractors.
• These can be 1st level sub contracts for organisations able to
deliver ‘End to End’ provision (sometimes known as Job
Brokers)
• More commonly this can be by a second level agreement
whereby organisations deliver specialist or knowledge bank
services e.g. Volunteering opportunities, short training
programmes etc.
What are the advantages?
• The Work Programme is intended to be a long term
commitment
• Organisations will be encouraged to deliver quality services
that meet individual needs
• Through sub contracting the programme will provide
opportunities for a wide range of organisations , that may not
otherwise have been able to do so, to take part in a
mainstream government programme and to demonstrate
their capabilities.
• There will be opportunities to develop innovative services and
solutions
What are the disadvantages?
• The Work Programme will NOT provide instant access to large
amounts of money. The volume and profile of customers is at
this point uncertain and therefore so are the requirements of
providers.
• Organisations must NOT expect that because they have
indicated that they CAN deliver they will be contracted to do
so.
• Organisations are NOT advised to view the Work Programme
as their only source of income, but as part of the services that
they provide.
• There will NOT be money for extensive capacity building
support, organisations will generally need to be delivery ready
at the time of engagement.
Any other points to consider?
• The impact on the reputation of your Organisation in your
community from getting involved.
• Whether you are being paid properly for the services you are
being asked to deliver, and how this may impact on the use of
your organisation’s other resources.
• The contract. Some have penalty clauses, and many
Organisations are being offered contracts that exactly mirror
those given to the Prime Contractor by DWP.
• The security requirements.
Who are the NW Prime Contractors?
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Greater Manchester and Cheshire
G4S
Seetec
Avanta
Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside
A4E
Ingeus Deloitte