The Work Programme applies to benefit claimants in various categories19(‘payment groups’) summarised20 in Table 1.1 below. This also shows the time during their benefit claim at which claimants will be referred to the programme, and whether their participation will be compulsory or voluntary.
19
Table 1.1: Work Programme Payment Groups
Payment Group Point of referral Basis for referral
1 JSA claimants aged 18-24 From 9 months on JSA Mandatory 2 JSA claimants aged 25+ From 12 months on JSA Mandatory 3 JSA ‘early access’ groups From 3 months on JSA Mandatory or
voluntary depending on circumstance
4 JSA ex-IB From 3 months on JSA Mandatory
5 ESA Volunteers At any time from point of Work Capability
Assessment
Voluntary
6 New ESA claimants Mandatory when
expected to be fit for work within 3-6 months*.
Voluntary from point of Work Capability
Assessment for specified participants.
Mandatory or
voluntary depending on circumstance
7 ESA Ex-IB Mandatory when
expected to be fit for work within 3-6 months*.
Voluntary from point of Work Capability
Assessment for
participants with longer prognoses.
Mandatory or
voluntary depending on circumstance
8 IB/IS (England only) From benefit entitlement Voluntary 9 JSA prison leavers From day one of release
from prison
Mandatory
*note: since autumn 2012, this mandatory requirement for ESA groups has been extended to cover claimants who are expected to be fit for work within 3-12
contracts and any revisions are made publicly available through the DWP website. Jobcentre Plus advisers also explain the Minimum Service Standards to participants on referral to the programme. The rationale is that both DWP and participants will be able to hold the providers to these standards.
1.3.3 How do claimants enter the Work Programme?
Jobcentre Plus refers claimants to Work Programme providers through the ‘Provider Referral and Payments System’ (PRaP), giving the provider basic details of the claimant with each referral. At this point the provider makes initial contact with the participant, and agrees the action(s) that the provider and participant will undertake through the programme. This agreement should be recorded in an ‘action plan’, which also incorporates any mandatory activity which the provider requires the participant to undertake. If a participant fails to comply with any mandatory activities, the provider notifies Jobcentre Plus in order that sanctions can be considered.
1.3.4 How long do participants stay on the programme?
Once Jobcentre Plus refers a participant to the Work Programme, the provider is expected to deliver two years (104 weeks) of continuous support regardless of whether the participant changes benefits or moves into employment. Early completion of the Work Programme occurs only when:
the final outcome payment has been claimed by the provider;
the participant is referred to Work Choice or a Residential Training College; or
the participant dies.
Participants who leave benefit and return within the two-year period are referred back to the relevant provider. If, however, they return to claim benefit after two years, or when the provider has claimed a final outcome payment for them, they remain with Jobcentre Plus.
1.3.5 Who are the Work Programme providers?
England, Wales and Scotland are divided into 18 ‘contract package areas’ (CPAs). Following a competitive tendering process, two or three Work Programme providers (drawn from the private, voluntary and public sectors) were contracted to operate as prime providers in each of the CPAs21. Prime providers may deliver services directly to Work Programme participants, or through a network of subcontractors, or both. Eligible claimants are randomly allocated by Jobcentre Plus advisers to one of the prime providers operating in the claimant’s CPA. Claimants are not given a choice of provider, but competition is generated over time through the better-performing
providers being offered an increased share of the claimants referred to the programme in each CPA.
2
The evaluation of the Work
Programme
The Department for Work and Pensions commissioned a consortium led
by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) to undertake an
independent evaluation of the Work Programme. Research started in
autumn 2011 and concludes in early 2015. The consortium includes the
following organisations working alongside IES on various strands of the
evaluation: Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion; GfK NOP; National
Institute of Economic and Social Research; Social Policy Research Unit
at the University of York. This chapter provides details of the evaluation
approach and research methodologies.
2.1 About the evaluation
The evaluation is exploring the delivery and effectiveness of the Work Programme by assessing participants’ experiences and outcomes. Given the innovative manner in which the programme is commissioned, the evaluation also focuses on how the commissioning approach impacts on the provider market and influences service delivery and participant outcomes. Thus the evaluation is spilt into commissioning and programme evaluation strands with considerable overlap between the two. Key research questions for the evaluation as a whole include the following:
Commissioning: How does the commissioning model impact on the provider
market? How do DWP and prime providers influence service delivery and outcomes? Why do providers design their services the way they do?
Delivery: What services do providers deliver to participants and how do they deliver them? What is the participant experience? What are the key operational lessons learnt from delivery?
Outcomes: What are participants’ outcomes and destinations? How quickly do participants flow off benefit? How long do participants stay in work? What is the impact on benefit off-flows, job entry, retention and time in employment?
Figure 2.1 Structure of the Work Programme Evaluation
2.2 The commissioning model evaluation
This strand examines how the commissioning approach impacts on the provider market and the decision-making processes of Work Programme providers, and thereby influences service delivery and participant outcomes. Findings from the commissioning research undertaken in 2012, which comprised a provider survey and interviews with DWP and Jobcentre Plus staff, unsuccessful bidders, non-bidders and providers leaving supply chains as well as prime providers and sub-contractors, were reported in Lane et al, (2013).DWP commissioning approach
Prime providers
Subcontractors
Service design and delivery
Participant research Provider research C om m is s ioni ng D eliv e ry Ou tc om e s & im p ac t Participant outcomes Admin data analysis Participant research How do providers deliver & what do participants experience?
What are the participant outcomes?
Unsuccessful bidders & supply chain leavers
What influences the decision-making of
frontline staff?
DWP staff research
Why do providers design their services
this way?
Provider research
How do DWP and the providers influence supply chain composition and service delivery? Staff research
How can the programme be improved?
What influences the decisions made by providers in relation to customer service? What influences provider performance? How does the
supply chain change over time
and what drives the change?
DWP commissioning approach
Prime providers
Subcontractors
Service design and delivery
Participant research Provider research C om m is s ioni ng D eliv e ry Ou tc om e s & im p ac t Participant outcomes Admin data analysis Participant research How do providers deliver & what do participants experience?
What are the participant outcomes?
Unsuccessful bidders & supply chain leavers
What influences the decision-making of
frontline staff?
DWP staff research
Why do providers design their services
this way?
Provider research
How do DWP and the providers influence supply chain composition and service delivery? Staff research
How can the programme be improved?
What influences the decisions made by providers in relation to customer service? What influences provider performance? How does the
supply chain change over time
and what drives the change?
the services that providers deliver to participants, so exploring the type and nature of the services delivered is a key aspect of this element of the evaluation.