Employment support for long term incapacity benefit claimants

Employment Support for long term Incapacity Benefit Claimants Graham Hart Economic Development Manager Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Background
Major reforms in the welfare to work agenda including the introduction of the DWP Work programme and a challenging Govt. target that one in five current Incapacity Benefit claimants will return to work.
Reducing public funding and resources to provide employment support. Major reductions in LDA funds for employment support in central London Boroughs.
In central London (Camden Islington, RBKC, Westminster) there are 76,630 residents on out of work benefits. The number on Incapacity Benefit/ESA is 40,660. May 2010

DWP reassessment of Claimants
All existing incapacity benefits customers are to have their claims reassessed over the next three years. As part of this reassessment the majority of incapacity benefits customers will undergo a Work Capability Assessment to determine their future benefit entitlement.
After assessment claimants will be placed in one of three groups.
Transfer to Jobseekers Allowance
Be placed in a Work Related Activity Group and receive ESA
Be placed in the ESA Support Group (not expected to seek work).
In the majority of cases the claimant will not have had any contact often extending to a number of years and yet they could be expected to engage in employment support and seek work as a result of the assessment.

Project Overview - Objectives
Gain a deeper understanding of claimants’ employment support needs across central London.
Enable shared understanding amongst commissioners and providers of the employment support needs.
Understand the use of new media and the internet and assess amongst claimants and test the feasibility of such channels.
Identify opportunities and mechanisms to coordinate and rationalise support across central London.

Project Overview - Methodology
Observation of clients interaction with existing support (third sector and mental health support projects)
In depth interviews with claimants that have not received any employment support in the previous 12 months. Participants to complete diaries of their activities and movements for a week prior to interview.
Focus groups x 4 (per Borough and also if possible other segmentation such as by limitation) Focus groups will also explore use of social media.
Focus group with community, voluntary and healthcare provider stakeholders.
Interviews with commissioners and focus group on potential efficiencies in employment /health support.

Of particular interest to LB Islington who wish to pilot the use of social media in reaching this client group.
Focus groups will inform the selection of a particular channel / method. Reviews will cover issues such as online forums, user generated content, methods of communication and delivery of materials/alerts.
The selected approach will be trialled for a period of several months prior to evaluation.
Project Overview – social media dimension

Dissemination and use
Desk research and final report
Advice guides for use by personal advisers
Workshop
Online forum – hotseat
Sub-regional work between Boroughs, considering employment support in the current climate.
Informing the work around health and employment, including fit for work services and integrated support within health.
Work programme providers and local delivery networks.
National stakeholders .

Employment support for long term incapacity benefit claimants

by localinsight on Mar 11, 2011

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Employment support for long term incapacity benefit claimants — Presentation Transcript