Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 31
31
Accepted
Paragraph: 191
Provide continued employment support to vulnerable claimants transitioning into work for 3-6 months.
Recommendation
DWP’s employment support services do not currently offer much support beyond the point of securing employment. People who have multiple or complex barriers to employment or who have been unemployed for a long time are often seen as Plan for Jobs and employment support 85 undesirable employees. People can also fall out of work if they are not supported during the transition into work. DWP should offer continued support beyond employment to claimants at greater risk of falling back into unemployment such as those with complex barriers to employment or those who have been unemployed for a long time. Support should be withdrawn gradually over the first three to six months of employment, depending on need, to support individuals as they establish themselves at work.
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating its Universal Support program will provide personalised in-work support for up to 12 months for at-risk claimants, exceeding the recommended 3-6 months. It also highlights an increase in the Administrative Earnings Threshold and a new voluntary in-work progression offer for low earners.
Paragraph Reference:
191
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
DWP is increasingly focusing on supporting the progression of those in work, as part of its aim of maximising employment opportunities and reducing economic inactivity. Universal Support will support individuals and employers beyond the point of a person securing employment and starting work. This in-work support will be personalised to reflect a person’s and employers’ needs. Universal Support will provide support for a maximum of 12 months, with no limitations on the amount of in-work support. DWP recognises the challenges that people with multiple and complex needs face and is committed to supporting this group to get the support they need to move towards sustained employment. People with multiple and complex needs will be able to access Universal Support, along with disabled people and people with health conditions. Universal Support utilises the concept of ‘place, train and maintain’ that helps match someone to a job that is right for them at the earliest opportunity, trains them to do the job in the way the employer wants it done and provides personalised, ongoing support to sustain their employment. This individual tailored “wraparound” support of up to 12 months will include help for the individuals to address issues like debt, manage their health condition and help employers to put in place job shaping or other adjustments to accommodate individual needs and help people to sustain employment for the longer-term. Further to this, DWP is working with the Department for Health and Social Care to expand the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) programme for drug and alcohol dependency to all Local Authorities in England by 2025. This programme uses a similar ‘place and train’ approach providing employment support alongside clinical treatment, making employment a key aim of recovery. DWP also offers other programmes that offer support beyond the point of securing employment; the Work and Health programme, which provides in work support for disabled people and those in early access priority groups for up to six months, for those that need it. From September 2023 there will be 25,000 additional places offered through the Work and Health programme for inactive customers using a place and train approach as part of the first phase of Universal Support. Intensive Personalised Employment Support (IPES) is national provision for disabled people with complex barriers to employment and provides up to six months of intensive in-work support when a participant starts work. Aside from supported employment schemes, DWP is extending the support jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes to help them to increase their earnings and move into better paid quality jobs. To achieve this, there are 2 key measures that we have introduced: i) increasing the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET) in Universal Credit to ensure the lowest earners receive more intensive support from our work coaches to increase their earnings and ii) A new in-work progression offer for those earning above the AET who want to access support from our work coaches to earn more. This offer is currently live across all jobcentres in Great Britain, and claimants can access the support on a voluntary basis. Support is being provided by work coaches and is focused on removing barriers to progression and providing advice, such as considering skills gaps and identifying training opportunities. The offer is for people looking for progression opportunities in their current role or advice to support them into a new role.