Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum ESA Health and Work Conversation and Claimant Commitment 6 March 2017 Presented by: Ian Anderson and Matt Russell 24/02/17 version 1.00

Contents Slide 3 – Background to the change (Matt Russell) Slide 5 – Elements of the change (Matt Russell) Slide 6 - Activity to date (Ian Anderson) Slide 7 – The Claimant Journey (Ian Anderson) Slide 8 – The Claimant Journey contd. (Ian Anderson) Slide 9 – Learning and Development for DWP Staff (Ian Anderson) Slide 10 – Evaluation and next steps (Ian Anderson) Slide 11 – Question and Answer session (Ian Anderson/Matt Russell)

Background to the change The Government’s ambition is to halve the disability employment rate gap, so while it remains committed to supporting those who cannot work because of a health condition or disability; it also wants to help as many people as possible to find suitable work. Based on the Labour Force Survey, as of Quarter 4 2016: Employment rate of disabled people: 49.6% Employment rate of non-disabled people: 80.4% Disability employment rate of gap: 30.8 percentage points Total number of disabled people in work: 3.6 million Currently Jobcentre staff do not routinely engage with ESA claimants before the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) which can take place many months into the claim. We know that the start of the claim can be a challenging time for claimants and that the longer a claimant is on benefit, the more difficult it is for them to move into employment where appropriate. The Health and Work Conversation (HWC) will provide this early support to claimants. The HWC is an integral part of the wider support we are providing claimants with a disability or health condition, building towards a more personalised and tailored service offer based on individual need as signalled in the Green Paper.

The HWC will: Provide a flexible and less structured approach to claimant interventions than current Work Focused Interviews (WFI). Support claimants with health conditions at an early stage in their ESA claim, with conversations being held at around week-4. Drawing on behavioural insight techniques and research, the HWC supports work coaches to work with claimants to build rapport, confidence and motivation, overcome obstacles and develop voluntary action plans – helping them to move closer to the workplace. Help an individual establish a relationship with their work coach at an early stage; Allow the individual and work coach to jointly develop a plan of voluntary activities.

Elements of the Change The change agreed by the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions in February 2016, as set out in the Green Paper ‘Work, health and disability: improving lives’ will introduce two new elements to the ESA claims process: A mandatory health and work conversation (HWC), which is a type of work focused interview, specifically designed for ESA claimants to take place before their Work Capability Assessment, at around week four of their claim. A ESA Claimant Commitment (CC) as a condition of entitlement to ESA for new claims to existing benefits. The CC will set out the expectations and legal requirements that claimants will be required to accept in order to receive ESA. This approach will align ESA with Universal Credit (UC).

Activity to date The HWC conversation was co-designed with the Behavioural Insight Team (BIT), health charities, front-line staff, disabled peoples’ organisations and occupational health professionals. During the conversation the work coach and claimant will work through a HWC booklet, based on an extensive body of academic behavioural research. Two process tests of the health and work conversation were conducted within Durham, Hackney, Alfreton, Chesterfield, Derby, Longeaton and Tottenham Jobcentres. Feedback from these studies has been used to develop the conversation and ensure it meets the needs of individuals and their work coaches. Feedback showed that WCs welcomed the opportunity to engage with claimants early and reported increased positivity, engagement and confidence from claimants.

Health and Work Conversation: The Claimant Journey Initial ESA claim: Claimant informed by the telephony agent that they may be required to attend a HWC. Once Claim is live: Claimant contacted by the local Jobcentre by telephone to invite them to the HWC. The call will be followed up with a letter confirming the appointment, explaining what the HWC is, and that attendance is mandatory. A couple of days prior to the HWC The work coach will call the claimant to introduce themselves and answer any questions they might have. Vulnerable claimants who are exempt, will not be required to attend a Health and Work conversation where circumstances mean it would not be appropriate.  Work coaches will also have the flexibility to defer the Health and Work Conversation when a claimant cannot attend due to temporary circumstances. A sanction will be applied for failure to attend or participate in the HWC without good cause. This means a claimant’s ESA payment will be reduced.

Health and Work Conversation: The Claimant Journey continued During the health and work conversation: ESA claimants will be supported to develop a voluntary action plan with the help and support of their work coach. The work coach will use the booklet to help individuals identify goals, plan out actions and boost their confidence and resilience. The claimant will be able to keep this booklet for future use. The health and work conversation could take up to one hour to complete. Work coaches will have the flexibility to offer further health and work conversations to some claimants.

Learning and Development for DWP staff We have significantly invested in learning and development of our work coaches to ensure they are sufficiently trained to deliver the health and work conversation effectively. Our work coach managers will also receive training to enable them to support work coaches, in conjunction with Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) who will act in an advisory capacity. Work coaches and service delivery staff will receive a training package comprising on-line pre-training, one day’s face to face training with BIT-trained Learning Delivery Officers and a post go-live training session. This approach will ensure HWC training is professionally delivered and fully consolidated. A short video will be developed to support HWC training This will include feedback, good news stories and “hints and tips” from work coaches who are already delivering the HWC in our test and learn sites. Operational instructions will be available to staff to support staff delivering the HWC.

Evaluation and Next Steps The Green Paper ‘Work, health and disability: improving lives’ was published 31 October 2016 with the consultation deadline of 17 February. Broad feedback from the DWP roundtable events is that stakeholders have welcomed the HWC. Because this is a new approach for working with ESA Claimants, the HWC roll-out began with small-scale ‘test and learn’ activity at 3 sites (n Alfreton, Chesterfield and Tottenham Jobcentres) on 30 January 2017. From 30 March, incremental rollout will continue in further national Jobcentres. Regulations will be laid in summer 2017 to support the introduction of the Claimant Commitment.

Question and Answer Session