Employment and Support Allowance Information Pack “Work for those who can; improved support for those who can’t” External | Employment and Support Allowance

Employment and Support AllowanceInformation Pack

“Work for those who can; improved support for those who can’t”

External | Employment and Support Allowance November 2007

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

13 weeks

Extra premiums where appropriate

Assessment Phase where a Personal Capability Assessment will be undertaken

Allowance set at JSA level

Work related activity

component

Support component

Main Phase

First contact by customer

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.

Employment and Support AllowanceThe Customer Journey



DAYDAY

BENEFIT BENEFIT ENTITLEMENTENTITLEMENT

This shows the steps taken to establish the customer’s benefit entitlement.

WORK WORK CAPABILITY CAPABILITY

ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT

This shows the steps taken to determine the customers ‘Limited capability for work’.

WORK-WORK-FOCUSED FOCUSED SUPPORTSUPPORT

Jobcentre services, including Pathways provider services, are available to the customer from Day 1.

ESA Customer Journey

DAY 1DAY 1


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.


ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT


Jobcentre services, including Pathways provider services, are available to the customer from Day 1.



DAY 2 - 3DAY 2 - 3 DAY 5DAY 5 DAY 8 / 9DAY 8 / 9

BENEFITBENEFIT

ENTITLEMENTENTITLEMENT

The Customer receives a printed Customer Statement for checking, and gathers any further evidence required.

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’.

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.



If the Customer is claiming under Special Rules their GP or HCP may be contacted for further evidence.


Jobcentre services, including Pathways provider services, are available to the Customer.


DAY 11DAY 11 DAY 30DAY 30 DAY 33DAY 33


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.

If customer has not returned the required evidence claim may be considered as defective.



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.

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.


Jobcentre services, including Pathways provider services, are available to the customer.



Customers allocated to the Support Group from the information on the questionnaire receive their decision.



The customer completes and returns the questionnaire in the envelope provided.

Other customers receive an appointment for their Work Capability and Work Focused Health Related Assessments.







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.



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.

DAY 55DAY 55 DAY 57DAY 57 DAY 92 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.




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

• 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.



• 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.

Behaviour Sanction

Employment and Support AllowanceThe Customer Journey

Any Questions ?



Documents

Employment and Support Allowance Information Pack “Work for those who can; improved support for those who can’t” External | Employment and Support Allowance