employment and support allowance national association of welfare rights advisers 6 th june 2008 phil...
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Employment and Support Allowance
National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers6th June 2008
Phil Bartlett
Programme DirectorJobcentre Plus
The case for change 72% of customers have received incapacity benefits for over 2
years, and are more likely to die or reach retirement age than return to work.
But, 80-90% of people making a claim for incapacity benefits want and expect to get back to work.
After decades of low expectations for customers of incapacity benefits, we are now serving second and third generation benefit customers and we want to end this
Opportunities are there to help more of our ill or disabled customers move towards work:
• 18,500 new vacancies reported to us every day. • Over 600,000 vacancies.• Labour Market inactivity is lowest since 1992.
So need is for a gateway to work……. ……… not a gateway to
benefit.
Our goal is to reduce the numbers of working age people who are dependent on benefit, and to continue to close the employment gaps between different groups.
For the vast majority of us work is the best form of welfare both now and for our future; and
Work has a positive impact on:-– Personal well being– Social inclusion– Long term health– Our families, our children and our communities
A gateway to work
And, everyone is supported
Customers with the most severe disabilities or illnesses (those who have been assessed as having limited or no capability for work related activity) will:
• receive the basic allowance and a support component which is not subject to activity conditions or sanctions; and
• on a voluntary basis, be able to take appropriate steps
towards work.
Those with a terminal illness will be fast tracked onto the main phase basic allowance and support component
Employment and Support Allowance forms part of the Welfare Reform
programme. Fits within the key principles of ‘work for those who can,
support for those who cannot’;
Available from 27 October 2008 for new applications from customers
with a health condition or disability. Replaces Incapacity Benefit and
Income Support (on basis of incapacity) subject to Incapacity Benefit
linking rules;
With the new Work Capability Assessments and building on the
success of Pathways to Work….Employment and Support Allowance
offers a work-focused regime to support customers back into
employment where that is possible.
Employment & Support Allowance
Employment & Support Allowance An integrated Allowance comprising contributory and income
related benefits
A 13 week assessment period
Access to new medical assessments• Assessing the customers capability for work or work related
activity
A main phase from the 14th Week comprising• A revised award of the Allowance to include work-related
activity or support group components
Access to personal advisor for work focused interviews
Access to condition management and work focused activity support
Employment & Support Allowance
Extra premiums where appropriate
13 week Assessment Phase during which a Work Capability Assessment will be undertaken and Work Focused Interview action initiated.
Work related activity
component
Support component
Main Phase
First contact by customer
Sanctions applied in this phase only
Allowance set at Jobseekers Allowance level
Where do we start?
By focusing on the positives rather than negatives, on our customers capabilities rather than their incapacities.
We will be helping customers to focus on what they can do, helping them to get where they can be, and offering more support to them on their journey.
We have designed a service with fewer handoffs, more ownership of the case, less prescription on the data gather stage, less duplication for staff and customers, and more relevant and helpful medical assessments.
Customer Contact Identify customer,
reason for contact and claim type
Data gather Issue evidence
request, Customer Statement and Housing/Council Tax Benefit Claim Form.
Work FocusedHealth RelatedAssessment
Handle Limited Capability for
Work Outcome
Initial Subsequent
Decision Making,
Payment and Notification.
Work Capability Assessment
Medical Services activities. Capability Assessment.
Evidence Handling and Verification
Work Focused Interview
Weeks from initial claim
Weeks from initial claim
0 weeks ~ 1.5 weeks ~ 2.5 weeks ~ 9 weeks
~ 13 weeks From 4 weeks
Limited Capability for Work
Report
Employment and Support AllowanceHow will it work?
Customer focus built in from start:• integrating contributory and income-related elements makes
for simpler, speedier processing of customer’s financial needs a new customer account management system re-uses data.
Less repetition of information, so quicker application process an individual work focused health related assessment and
greater access to personal advisors, and condition
management and work support programmes
Making the most of telephony for faster, more accurate processing, no forms to sign and an 0800 number for new applications.
Other contact channels available where needed
What will be different for customers?
Linking arrangements
Special rules for people with terminal illnesses
Permitted work
Passporting arrangements
Decision making and appeal process
Some things will be familiar
Focusing on capability
Work Capability Assessment will use updated mental and physical health assessments, including the interaction between physical and mental health
It incorporates a Work Focused Health Related Assessment to look at what the customer can do, not just what they cannot do, and identify any health barriers to work
The health assessment report will be sent to the customer and their Personal Adviser and will be used to support the work-focused interviews
The Personal Adviser will be able to refer customers for a package of employment support, training and assistance in managing their illness or disability
Implementation Employment and Support Allowance represents the biggest welfare
change since Jobcentre Plus was formed – so we want to get it right!
The new service will be available Nationally from October 2008.
Phased introduction of the supporting business and IT systems and processes and using a Trailblazer site to ensure a smooth national implementation
No impact on customers in other areas – differences only in how we handle and record customer information.
Pathways to Work is available Nationally and Local Employment Partnerships delivering more opportunities for customers today.
The implementation challenge
Tight timescales and overlapping activities
New business and IT systems and processes
Maintaining existing performance and customer service levels
Other important change activity competing for resources
Meeting the challenge
The highest level of commitment and priority
Managing the amount of other change activity over the next 2 years
Building on success and experience
Paving the way and phasing the deployment of new systems and processes
Considerable investment in training and backfill
Working Together
We are listening to and engaged with:
Our customers;
Policy and Operational Colleagues;
Our suppliers and delivery partners;
Other Government Departments and Local Authorities; and of course
Customer Representative Groups
Customer Representative Groups
Working group established of Customer Representative Groups (of which NAWRA is a member) to consider what communication needs exist in the Customer Representative Groups community to support:
the smooth introduction of Employment and Support Allowance
you in your day to day roles; and
crucially, our shared customers to achieve their hopes and aspirations.
