Work programme

The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA), the trade association for the welfare to work industry, today provides the first indicative performance figures for the Work Programme.

Based on data from some of the largest prime contractors of the Work Programme, ERSA figures show that between 18% and 23% of customers who were referred to the Work Programme in June 2012 have already started employment, meaning that one in five customers have already found a job. 

Written by Paul Bivand, Head of Statistics and Analysis at Inclusion.

DWP has today released new estimates for Work Programme volumes as a result of the November 2011 OBR forecasts.

NEW. Spreadsheet with tables and charts for each Contract Package Area comparing the new view with the original view.

There is serious concern over the power of the voluntary sector in delivering employment-related services under the Work Programme. The Third Sector Research Centre has released an evidence review calling for more information about third sector organisations involved in the Work Programme. There is little evidence on who they are or their characteristics. 

The National Audit Office report Introduction of the Work Programme finds that job entry rates for Jobseeker's Allowance payments for over-25s will be at 26% as opposed to 40% as predicted by the Department for Work and Pensions. This analysis is based upon the performance results of the Flexible New Deal and impacts of features specific to the Work Programme. 

The NCG, which includes the national training provider Intraining, the Newcastel College Group and West Lancashire College, has launched the Employment Gateway concept. This aims to help the unemployed gain work, training and employability skills. 

Part of support offered includes assistance in writing CVs, help with job interview techniques, and short employability skills courses (for instance in business administration, English, Maths, Health and Care and so on). 

NCVO and the Employment Related Services Association have warned that charities financial sustainability is threatened under the Work Programme.

An NCVO survey of 100 voluntary sector subcontractors found that 79% felt that primes fail to shielf them from financial risk. 71% felt the Merlin Standard was inadequate in regulating prime benhaviour. In addition, charities are unhappy with the amount of referrals to them: 58% in Tier One and 72% in Tier Two. 

On the 9th of January Third Sector revealed that primes delivering the Work Programme, have signed a contract agreeing that they will not do anything resulting in "adverse publicity" for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Primes have agreed that press announcements or publicity linked to the contract needs prior approval from DWP. The adverse publicity clause has also been applied to some subcontractors as some primes have extended all their terms in their own contracts with DWP should also apply to their supply chain groups. 

In a response to a Freedom of Information request, on the 23rd December 2011 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) supplied some details of Work Programme Partnership Forum materials from the 26th of September 2011 meeting, including action points and presentation materials:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/action_points_and_presentations#incoming-238636

Ian Russell, CBE has been reappointed as Chairman of Remploy for a further five years by Ian Duncan Smith, the Sectretary of State for Work and Pensions. Ian Russell's current appointment ends on the 7th January 2012.