Personalising welfare support

About Community Links  Been in Newham, east London for 35 yrs delivering services to the local community Welfare, debt and housing advice Welfare, debt and housing advice Early action hubs Early action hubs Employment and training Employment and training Education links Education links Links UK. Links UK.  one of the most culturally diverse populations in the country, high deprivation levels and a much younger age profile than the national average

Personalised support =  People receive help that is tailored to their individual needs.  Universal Credit and the associated regimes are designed on the basis of a person’s individual circumstances.

The current situation  The benefits system has been redesigned More claimant groups experiencing tougher conditionality More claimant groups experiencing tougher conditionality Conditionality tailored to individual circumstances and capability Conditionality tailored to individual circumstances and capability In work conditionality In work conditionality Increased adviser discretion Increased adviser discretion Introduction of a claimant commitment Introduction of a claimant commitment A digital by default system - cost cutting and customer friendly principles A digital by default system - cost cutting and customer friendly principles  A new employment support programme for the long-term unemployed has been designed and implemented. Black box Black box Minimum service standards Minimum service standards

Turning policy into delivery Conditionality  Customer’s reaction  Who manages the clients journey?  What skills will frontline advisers need?  How to detect circumstances and capability

Turning policy into delivery The claimant commitment  Co designed  Dynamic document  Tool to engaging customers  Contents should address a claimant’s personal needs  Actions decided in a collaborative nature; engaging and motivating claimants

Turning policy into delivery Personalising an online service  The need for face to face support  Cuts to face to face advice services  UC online – Initial application for an award Initial application for an award Registering changes of circumstances Registering changes of circumstances Communicating rights and responsibilities Communicating rights and responsibilities Accessing employment opportunities Accessing employment opportunities Detect vulnerability Detect vulnerability

What else needs to happen? Operational changes:  Improve the quality of customer service: The performance framework should include minimum service standards that ensure high quality and personalised provision and ones that foster ‘deep value’ relationships between customer service providers.  Develop adviser’s skills: improve staff training and guidance on tailored support so that skilled advisers are matched to customers based on their needs.

What else needs to happen? Structural changes:  A reformed Jobcentre Plus: The process for diagnosis and referral should be made more effective by introducing: A specific diagnosis and referral unit. A specific diagnosis and referral unit. A separate dedicated employment support unit for customers with less intensive support needs. A separate dedicated employment support unit for customers with less intensive support needs.  Redesign the differential pricing model: the differential pricing model used with the Work Programme should be based on the level of need, not the benefit type a person receives so providers are funded to sufficiently support all customers to the level of intensity each individual requires.

Contact details Maeve McGoldrick links.org Community Links links.org links.org