Jobcentre Plus Devon Cornwall and Somerset inspiring independence through work

Vulnerable Customer Network Meeting Exeter 31th January 2018

Our website: www.gov.uk

Welcome, domestics and Introductions • Matt Hurley- [email protected] Tel: 01803 356135 • Jackie Borne - [email protected] Tel: 01803 356946 [email protected] Department for Work & Pensions

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Message from our Senior Sponsor Firstly may I wish you all a very Happy New Year. Reflecting back over the last 12 months, we have learnt so much together about how we can best support our most vulnerable customers. Working together to gain a better insight into how policies and processes can impact individuals or families, and ensuring we put support in place to help them, is what this network excels at.

Universal Credit Full Service will roll out nationally in 2018, and I want to reassure you that our vulnerable customers are our highest priority within that, that we will ensure we always do the right thing for the customer, and with your continued support and insight, we will succeed.

Thank you for your continued support and participation. What we do together matters. Terri Whitten Senior Business Support Manager Department for Work & Pensions

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National Stakeholder Engagement Forum: [email protected] i.gov.uk

Contacting Vulnerable Customers Leads(VCL’s): Where Business as Usual processes have not been sufficient to resolve an issue or there is an immediate risk to Customer.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Updates • Universal Credit updates from November 2017 • UCFS Support from DWP Visiting • Free Phone Numbers • Support for Mortgages • CHDA Website and Contact number • Send Your Fit Note • Payment Exception Service

Department for Work & Pensions

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Universal Credit updates from November 2017 •

Changes to UC advances to 100% and repayment over 12 monthsFrom Jan 2018

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Abolition of waiting days- From Feb 2018

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Transition to UC housing payment- From April 2018

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Making it easier for claimants to get a managed payment to landlords

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Revised rollout of UC Full Service

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UC advances to be online from Spring next year

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Extension of gateway for families with more than 2 children back to legacy benefits until Jan 2019

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Closure of UC Live Service for new claims from Dec 2017

Department for Work & Pensions

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UCFS New claim Support from DWP Visiting Partners or customers will need to ring the contact centre (free phone) if they identify a customer needs support to make a new claim to UCFS. The service centre will explore all options available to support the customer to make the claim including supporting the customer to make a digital claim, taking the claim by phone etc.

Should there be no appropriate options available then the service centre will raise an ALP to DWP Visiting. DWP Visiting will meet the customer in their home and complete a new claim to UCFS via telephone to the service centre. (DWP Visiting are not yet in a position to complete digital claims with customers – this is in development).

Department for Work & Pensions

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New Free Phone Numbers

Benefit Enquiry Line Jobcentre Enquiry Line Social Fund enquiries

0800 169 0310 0800 169 0190 0800 169 0140

PIP Enquiries DLA Adult and Child Maternity Allowance Nino Allocation Unit UC Live Service UC Full Service UC Housing Line

0800 121 4433 0800 121 4600 0800 169 0283 0800 141 2075 0800 328 9344 0800 328 5644 0800 328 3844

Department for Work & Pensions

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Department for Work & Pensions

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Centre for Health and Disability Assessments https://www.chdauk.co.uk/ Number for Help Completing ESA / UC50

0800 288 8777

Department for Work & Pensions

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Send Your Fit Note The Send Your Fit Note (SYFN) Service allows ESA claimants to take a photo of the fit note and send it online using a mobile device or desktop PC. After a successful trial, this service will be rolled out in stages to all our ESA claimants by March 2018.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Payment Exception Service A new Payment Exception Service (PES) is being introduced to replace the current Simple Payment Service (SPS) that will end in the first quarter of 2018. All customers currently using SPS have been contacted by mail to advise the service is ending and action they are required to take. By January 2018 customers will have received at least 4 letters. Go Live date for PES is Feb 1st 2018

Department for Work & Pensions

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Hand Outs Agenda

Vulnerable Customer Network Terms of Reference

Insight Questionnaire

Department for Work & Pensions

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Jobcentre Plus Devon Cornwall and Somerset inspiring independence through work

Any Questions?

Our website: www.dsfire.gov.uk Department for Work & Pensions

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Liz Pascoe, Ops Manager St Austell Service Centre

Kate Curtis, Service Centre Lead Tracy Dumper, Deputy Service Centre Lead Liz Pascoe

4 SC Teams Covering Devonport & Bridgwater

Complex Needs Team

Carolyn Norton

6 SC Teams Covering Taunton, Wells, Plymouth, Rugby & Liskeard

Tracey Goss

4 SC Teams Covering Frome, Minehead Yeovil, Launceston, Bude, Eastleigh, Devizes

Mandy Curnow

Michelle Lewis Complaints Team

5 SC Teams Covering Swindon & Hastings

Service Innovation Leads

Quality Team Business Support & Demand Management Team

320,000+ customers

9 million customers

DWP One Service

Vulnerable Customer Team

Work Capability Assessments

Quality Team

Customer Call Centre

Case Management

Subject Access Requests

Customer Complaints Team

Service Innovation Leads

Service Centre Teams & Jobcentres working together

ID Verification

Case Management Process Trigger 0: Contact customers suffering terminal illness Trigger 1: Payments, Calculate Deductions, Consideration of extra frequency payment for vulnerable customers Trigger 2: Deal with changes in circumstances that effect eligibility or payments Trigger 3: Respond to customer Journal messages Trigger 4: Deal with verification which could affect accuracy of payments Trigger 5: Claim closures Trigger 6: Any other actions

Customers

Case Managers

Work Coaches

Decision Makers

Jobcentre Plus Devon Cornwall and Somerset inspiring independence through work

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Our website: www.gov.uk

Enhanced Support Offer Small Employer Adviser

[email protected]

Date: January 2018

Purpose of this presentation

• The purpose of this presentation is to give an: • Explanation why it is was introduced & what it offers • Outline the role of the Small Employer Adviser

Department for Work & Pensions

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Background – removal of the WRAC and of the LCW element

• In the Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced that the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Related Activity Component (WRAC) of £29.05 per week and the Universal Credit (UC) Limited Capability for Work element of £126.11 per month would be removed from April 2017

Department for Work & Pensions

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Who is the offer for? • The Small Employer Offer part of the ESO programme was originally offered to the following claimants who: – made a claim on or after 3 April 2017 and are part of the ESA WRAG or UC WPG (because of their limited capability for work), or – whose Work Capability Assessment (WCA) outcome places them in either the ESA WRAG or UC WPG (because of their limited capability for work) from 3 April 2017. • And now Includes until March 2018: – Existing eligible claimants as detailed above – Pre–WCA claimants (including UC claimants in the AWRR group who are submitting fit notes) – WRAG/WPG (because of their limited capability for work) ‘stock’ claimants whose WCA decision was prior to 3 April 2017 – Work programme completers – Support group/UC LCWRA claimants (because of a health condition or disability • Excluded: – JSA claimants and UC claimants in any other conditionality group are not included in scope.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Enhanced Support Offer •

Small Employer Offer & Adviser

Department for Work & Pensions

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New initiatives - Small Employer Offer • The Small Employer Offer will introduce a new Small Employer Adviser to target small employer engagement • This new role will build on current employer engagement and focus on working with small employers to encourage them to offer job opportunities for disabled people and those with a health condition • The SEA will work to change small employer attitudes towards employing people with a health condition or disability and offer support and advice to do this. The next slide provides more detail about this role • In Devon, Cornwall & Somerset - the offer will include a Small Employer Payment (SEP) that small employers will be able to access if they employ someone with a health condition or disability for a period of 3 months (this will be paid after the individual has been in employment for the 12 weeks). • The SEP enables the small employer to provide on-going mentoring or support for the new employee. Department for Work & Pensions

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New initiatives - Small Employer Adviser role • The Small Employer Adviser will: • Work with small employers to create job opportunities for disabled people and those with a health conditions

• Support robust/reverse job matching, to ensure health conditions and access needs are taken into account when referring claimants to vacancies or work experience opportunities • Offer a package of in-work support for both employers and employees if they employ someone with a health condition or disability • Gain an overview of claimants needs to ensure vacancies are secured in the right sectors. • Work with Community Partners

Department for Work & Pensions

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Department for Work & Pensions

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Community Partners Devon, Cornwall & Somerset District

Department for Work & Pensions

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Background •

New role introduced as part of the Enhanced Support Offer from the October 2016 Green Paper.

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UK-Wide Project – each district has it’s own team of Community Partners.

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Recruited externally to provide specialist support around areas of expertise.

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Aim to support Government goal of halving disability employment gap – supporting 1 million disabled people into work.

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12 months initially with possible extension for a further 11 months.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Key Objectives

To build the knowledge and skills of staff in order to support people with health conditions and disabilities.

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To identify, source and promote additional / new local provision for claimants to access. To work with local employers to increase opportunities and support for people with health conditions and disabilities.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Key Objectives Supporting Disability Employment Advisors with case conferencing and advising on complex cases. Development of training & awareness-raising sessions. Increase staff knowledge on disability and its effects on employment

Promoting Access to Work and Disability Confident. Department for Work & Pensions

Attending network events to identify new and different service providers.

Staff

Local Provision

Employers

Working with Employer Advisors to provide practical advice and guidance.

Work with local providers around tailored options. Develop network of local support organisations.

Supporting and advising Employer Advisors on retention. 35

What Success Looks Like •

Staff have increased knowledge of disability and the effects it can have on employment, with DEAs more confident to advise and action complex cases.

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Understanding of local provision and confidence of staff to refer claimants to specific provision strengthened.

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Learning pathways, work experience and training opportunities developed for claimants.

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Employers have a better understanding of disability issues and are offering more job opportunities.

Department for Work & Pensions

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District Community Partner Team The district Community Partner Team currently consists of:

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1 Lead Community Partner 1 Young Persons Community Partner 2 Mental Health Community Partners 1 Pan-Disability Community Partner

Additionally the district is looking to recruit an additional Mental Health Community Partner

Department for Work & Pensions

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Work to Date Examples of our work to date include:

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Attending Case Conferences, providing direct support to staff around health conditions.

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Feeding back on the development of national mental health training.

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Development of a ‘Mental Health in the Workplace’ pack for staff.

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Linking in with special schools to role model potential for work.

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Attendance at Disability Confident events – discussing practical implications of the scheme from a lived experience perspective.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Further Information For more information or enquires, please contact: Debbie Stafford - (Lead Community Partner): [email protected] Mark Poole - (Mental Health Community Partner): [email protected] Sarah Croft - (Young Persons Community Partner): [email protected] Tara Rufus - (Mental Health Community Partner): [email protected] Phillipa Collier – Pan Disability Community Partner [email protected] Department for Work & Pensions

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Jobcentre Plus Devon Cornwall and Somerset inspiring independence through work

Any Questions?

Our website: www.gov.uk Department for Work & Pensions

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Work and Health Programme (WHP)

Department for Work & Pensions

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Work and Health Programme (WHP) The Work and Health Programme is the new contracted provision to support people into employment ·

WHP went live in Southern England in December 17

· Work and Health Programme (WHP) Participants must be of working age, and resident in England or Wales. · Pluss is the successful organisation to deliver this programme in Southern England, their Programme is known as Opportunities Unlimited

Department for Work & Pensions

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Who will it support The main groups that WHP will provide targeted support for are: o Disabled people as defined in the Equality Act 2010, who can volunteer to join the Programme at any time o Other groups who need extra tailored support to find employment, can volunteer to join the Programme, including ex- offenders, young people leaving the care system and those with alcohol and/or drug dependency (Early Access Groups) o Long term unemployed people (more than 2 years) on a mandatory basis • Claimants with a disability or early access groups will be identified based on need with those who are most likely to benefit from the bespoke service, being referred to the WHP. • Work Coaches will determine whether these groups should be referred to the programme with the support of a selection tool.

Department for Work & Pensions

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Early Access Groups The early access groups for the Work and Health Programme include: • ex-offenders • a carer • an ex-carer • a homeless person • an ex-HM Armed Forces personnel participant • an HM Armed Forces reservist participant • a partner of current or former Armed Forces personnel • a person for whom a drug/alcohol dependency (including a history of) presents a significant barrier to employment • a care leaver • refugees • young gang members • victims of domestic violence

Department for Work and Pensions

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If any organisation wishes to know more about the programme Pluss are delivering, please contact their Strategic Stakeholder Lead [email protected]

Department for Work and Pensions

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Jobcentre Plus Devon Cornwall and Somerset inspiring independence through work

Any Questions?

Our website: www.gov.uk Department for Work & Pensions

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Insight Questionnaire Thank You….

Department for Work & Pensions

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Jobcentre Plus Devon Cornwall and Somerset inspiring independence through work

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