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Personalising the Claimant Commitment. About Community Links. Local frontline service delivery organisation – 35 years in Newham Advice, Employment & Training, Education, Community Hubs 300 staff, 1,500 volunteers Nationally focused policy and research team.
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Personalising the Claimant Commitment www.community-links.org
About Community Links Local frontline service delivery organisation – 35 years in Newham Advice, Employment & Training, Education, Community Hubs 300 staff, 1,500 volunteers Nationally focused policy and research team www.community-links.org
Community Links and Conditionality We apply and appeal sanctions Operational issues and policy issues People being wrongly sanctioned Providers don’t have control over sanctions Led us to develop a programme of work on how to use sanctions more effectively www.community-links.org
Building up the evidence.. 2010 - EU Working age poverty –support and sanctions 2011 – UC green paper; change in tone - DWP stakeholder group – CC - Westminster lobby activity - Monitoring welfare programme www.community-links.org
Personalising conditionality – how to make it more effective: Deep Value ‘ The principle behind conditionality is to ensure claimants compliance with a course of actions’ compliance should only be required if the actions address a claimant’s personal needs and are decided in a collaborative nature; engaging and motivating claimants. The journey back to work should be seen by both adviser and claimant as a mutual endeavour based on a shared sense of responsibility. Sanctioning people is not the only way to ensure compliance; we believe it should be a last resort when all support has been exhausted. www.community-links.org
Clarify the role of Conditionality and Support Better understanding of the role of conditionality – about addressing behaviour Tailored support means tailored conditionality Better evaluation of why sanctions are being issued www.community-links.org
The Claimant Commitment.. good points Clarity – provides notices and explanation Simplification More discretion at the front line Dynamic document Takes into account personal circumstances www.community-links.org
The less good bits It remains a one way commitment Training and monitoring staff Diagnosis of support needs 3 year fixed sanctions not changing behaviour www.community-links.org
Challenges and opportunities A new approach/model for conditionality: a joint personalised approach with the conditionality system linked closely to that of support Better identification of support needs More tailored support and conditionality Reduced errors and appeals A new relationship between Jobcentre Plus and the claimant. This type of relationship has clear expectations, is based on performance, support and motivation. www.community-links.org
What we would like to see.. Clear goal setting (short and long term) • An all encompassing diagnostic needs assessment (including all barriers to employment) • Support the claimant can expect and possible sanctions clearly defined • A transparent and mutually agreed contract that is reviewed on a regular basis www.community-links.org
Challenges Harsher sanctions – distance from labour market Costs to tailor support and conditionality Good monitoring and evaluation that distinguishes between support and conditionality In-work Conditionality www.community-links.org
Impact on delivery Parallel Journeys: the Claimant Commitment needs to be handed over to Work Programme providers Claimant Commitment approach and the black box JCP and Local Authorities delivering the LSSF Expansion of conditionality – Housing Associations, Local Authorities www.community-links.org
Maeve McGoldrick, Policy and Public Affairs Manager Maeve.mcgoldrick@community-links.org Contact Details www.community-links.org www.community-links.org