Transcript Document

External | Employment and Support Allowance November 2007
Employment and Support Allowance
Information Pack
“Work for those who can;
improved support for those who can’t”
Why are we introducing the Employment and
Support Allowance?
• The Employment and Support Allowance plays a pivotal role
in delivering the Government’s vision of a modern active
welfare state, as a replacement for Incapacity Benefits.
• Focus on helping individuals realise their full potential and a
better life through the world of work.
• Employment and Support Allowance will provide a gateway to
work, assessing people’s capability to work and not just their
entitlement to benefit; whilst ensuring that people who are
unable to work receive the support they need.
What is Employment and Support
Allowance?
• Employment and Support Allowance will bring a
more active system of support for people who have
a health condition or disability, which will be
introduced from October 2008.
• The Employment and Support Allowance regime
will be delivered through existing Jobcentre Plus
network of Contact Centres, Benefit Delivery
Centres and Jobcentre Plus offices.
Cont…
• It will bring together Incapacity Benefit and Income
Support into a single benefit for people with health
problems or disabilities, combined with a work
focused support regime for those who can benefit
from work, and condition management support.
• Pathways to Work will underpin the new
Employment and Support Allowance, by providing
work focused interviews and work related activity.
What has Pathways to Work achieved so
far?
• Almost 32,000 recorded job entries for
Incapacity Benefit (IB) customers.
• A significant increase in the number of
customers leaving IB in the first 6 months
of their claim compared to non-Pathways
Districts.
Cont….
• Research shows that after 10.5 months, 32% of
new IB customers in Pathways districts were in
employment compared to an expectation of only
22.5% without Pathways.
• 25,380 people have been awarded the Return to
Work Credit.
• 14,520 people were referred to the Condition
Management Programme.
( National Figures for period Oct 2003 – March 2006)
Employment and Support Allowance will…
• Provide a gateway to work; assessing people’s capability
for work and not just their entitlement to benefit, while
ensuring that people who are unable to work receive
support.
• Quickly and sensitively identify those eligible for enhanced
support.
• Provide improved customer experience by making it easier
and simpler to apply for benefits, with quick and sensitive
handling to confirm eligibility, rights and responsibilities.
Employment and Support Allowance Process
Extra premiums where appropriate
First contact by
customer
Assessment Phase where a
Personal Capability Assessment
will be undertaken
13 weeks
Work related
activity
component
Support
component
Allowance set at JSA level
Main Phase
The Work Capability Assessment will…
•
Include updated mental and physical health
assessments, including the interaction
between physical and mental health.
•
Incorporate 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.
What does Employment and Support Allowance
mean for customers?
• We will offer customers the choice on how to
claim Employment and Support Allowance.
For most, a single telephone call, with no
forms to complete will be all that is needed to
start the process.
• We will of course see customers at a
Jobcentre if they wish to have a face to face
interview.
Cont….
• We will ask customers to attend a Work
Focused Interview at the Jobcentre around 9
weeks after they have claimed.
• A Personal Adviser will discuss with the
customer their entitlement, their aspirations
for work, the steps they might take to help
them take up a job and the support that is
available to them.
Cont….
• Most customers in the work-related activity group
will have a further series of five interviews with a
Personal Adviser from Shaw Trust, our contracted
partner focused on helping them back to work.
• The customer will be provided with an action plan,
which will reflect the discussion at each interview,
including the steps a customer could take to help
them take up a job or prepare to return to work.
What about existing customers?
• Existing customers on incapacity benefits will
continue to receive Incapacity Benefit after October
2008 and will have their benefit levels protected.
• Anyone on incapacity benefits will be able to
volunteer for appropriate support through
Pathways to Work (fully rolled out nationally by
April 2008).
• At some point in the future existing incapacity
benefits customers will move to the Employment
and Support Allowance, as resources allow.
External | Employment and Support Allowance November 2007
Employment and Support Allowance
The Customer Journey
“Work for those who can;
improved support for those who can’t”
ESA Customer Journey
DAY
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
This shows the steps taken to establish the customer’s
benefit entitlement.
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
This shows the steps taken to determine the customers
‘Limited capability for work’.
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
Jobcentre services, including Pathways provider services,
are available to the customer from Day 1.
ESA Customer Journey
DAY 1
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
Customer rings 0800 number to make a claim for benefit.
The customer selects the new claim option for sick/disabled
people.
Jobcentre Plus receives the call, confirms identity and takes
the claim. Asks the customers if they wish to claim under
‘Special Rules'. Call recording means there is no requirement
for a customer signature.
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
Jobcentre services, including Pathways provider services, are
available to the customer from Day 1.
ESA Customer Journey
DAY 2 - 3
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
The Customer receives a
printed Customer Statement
for checking, and gathers
any further evidence
required.
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
If the Customer is claiming
under Special Rules their GP
or HCP may be contacted for
further evidence.
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
Jobcentre services,
including Pathways provider
services, are available to the
Customer.
DAY 5
The Customer continues to
gather required evidence.
Jobcentre Plus receives
medical services report for
‘Special Rules’ customers
and makes a decision on
Limited Capability for Work
and ‘group’.
DAY 8 / 9
The Customer sends required
evidence to the Benefit
Delivery Centre in envelope
provided.
Evidence received in Benefit
Delivery Centre.
Medical Certificate received
and consideration for early
entry to WCA process by
Jobcentre Plus.
ESA Customer Journey
DAY 11
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
The Customer’s claim to
ESA processed.
The Customer receives
payment on the due pay
day.
The Local Authority is also
advised of the customer’s
ESA entitlement.
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
The customer receives a
questionnaire from Medical
Services (If early referral
made on receipt of Med
Cert)
This needs to be completed
and returned as soon as
possible, but within 6 weeks
from date of issue.
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
Jobcentre services,
including Pathways
provider services, are
available to the customer.
DAY 30
DAY 33
If customer has not returned
the required evidence claim
may be considered as
defective.
All remaining customers will
receive a questionnaire
from Medical Services.
This needs to be completed
and returned as soon as
possible, but within 6 weeks
from date of issue.
ESA Customer Journey
DAY 34
DAY 36
DAY 37
Customers allocated to the
Support Group from the
information on the
questionnaire receive their
decision.
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
The customer completes and
returns the questionnaire in
the envelope provided.
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
Jobcentre services,
including Pathways provider
services, are available to the
customer.
Other customers receive an
appointment for their Work
Capability and Work
Focused Health Related
Assessments.
ESA Customer Journey
DAY 43
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
DAY 45
DAY 47
The customer receives their
benefit payment decision.
The customer attends a
joint appointment for a
Work Capability and a Work
Focused Health Related
Assessment.
The customer receives an
outcome letter for the Work
Capability Assessment and
a copy of the Work Focused
Health Related Assessment
report.
Jobcentre services,
including Pathways
provider services, are
available to the customer.
The customer receives a
phone call from the
Jobcentre inviting them to
attend a Work Focused
Interview with a Personal
Adviser.
Then customer receives a
letter from the Jobcentre
confirming their Work
Focused Interview
appointment.
ESA Customer Journey
DAY 55
DAY 57
DAY 92 
The customer enters the
main phase of Employment
and Support Allowance and
is paid at either the Support
Group or the Work Related
rate.
BENEFIT
ENTITLEMENT
WORK
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
WORKFOCUSED
SUPPORT
The customer receives a
phone call reminder from
the Jobcentre to attend
Work Focused Interview.
The customer attends and
participates in a Work
Focused Interview with a
Personal Adviser at the
Jobcentre.
Customers in the Work
Related Group start to
receive Pathways support to
return to work.
Customers in the Support
Group can access these
services on a voluntary
basis.
Customers’ Rights and Responsibilities
•
Ensure personal details are accurate at first contact and correctly answer three
security questions to confirm own identity.
•
Agree the next steps and responsibilities as described by the Contact Centre in
the ‘wrap-up’ to the telephone call.
•
Ensure Customer Statement is correct, notifying changes to the Benefit Delivery
Centre.
•
Provide appropriate evidence to support their claim to benefit within one
calendar month.
•
Return form ESA50 to Medical Services within agreed time limit.
•
Attend Work Capability Assessment where appropriate.
•
Attend and participate in 1st and subsequent Work Focused Interviews where
appropriate.
•
Ensure all further changes of circumstances are notified to the Benefit Delivery
Centre/ Jobcentre or Provider as they occur.
Sanction and Appeal Rights
Behaviour
•
•
•
•
•
Sanction
Questionnaire not received (without
an acceptable good cause).
Customer does not attend WCA
Assessment (without an acceptable
good cause)
Customer does not have limited
capability
for work.
Customer fails to attend Work
Focused Interview (without an
acceptable good cause).
•
Customer fails to attend Work
Focused Health Related
Assessment (without an acceptable
good cause).
•
•
Benefit withdrawn – customer has
right of appeal.
Benefit withdrawn – customer has
right of appeal.
•
Benefit withdrawn – customer has
right of appeal.
•
Sanction of ESA – 50% of personal
allowance rate implemented.
Customer has right of appeal
against sanction.
Sanction of ESA – 50% of personal
allowance rate implemented.
Customer has right of appeal
against sanction.
External | Employment and Support Allowance November 2007
Employment and Support Allowance
The Customer Journey
Any Questions ?
“Work for those who can;
improved support for those who can’t”