1. Personal Support Package Presentation to Synchronize group
Date: June 2017
Version: 0.18

2. Background
In the Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced that the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Related Activity Component (WRAC) of £29.05 per week and the Universal Credit (UC) Limited Capability for Work element of £ per month will be removed from April 2017
Employment and Support Allowance
This change applies to new claimants only who make their claim on or after 3 April 2017 and are placed in the ESA Work Related Activity Group following a Work Capability Assessment, unless the claimant is in one of the ESA protected groups
Universal Credit
This change applies to Universal Credit claimants who, from 3 April 2017, are found to have Limited Capability for Work following a Work Capability Assessment. They will not get the Limited Capability for Work payment unless the claimant is in one of the Universal Credit protected groups

3. ESA Protected Groups
Existing ESA claimants who made a claim before 3 April 2017
Claims made on or after 3 April 2017 which are backdated to before 3 April 2017
Existing ESA claimants who have a further Work Capability Assessment (re- assessment) after 3 April 2017 and are placed in the Work Related Activity Group, even if they move from the Support Group to the Work Related Activity Group
Claimants who have a break in their claim and come back to ESA within 12 weeks and their original date of claim is before 3 April 2017
Claimants that are placed in the ESA Work Related Activity Group following a Mandatory Reconsideration or appeal and that claim was made before 3 April 2017
Claimants who claimed ESA before 3 April 2017 and their ESA was terminated due to receiving Maternity Allowance - who then make a repeat claim for ESA within 12 weeks of their Maternity Allowance ending
Incapacity Benefit Reassessment claimants - if they are moved into the ESA Work Related Activity Group after 3 April 2017

4. Universal Credit Protected Groups
The change will not affect, for example:
Existing claimants who are getting the limited capability for work payment in Universal Credit before 3 April 2017
Existing Universal Credit claimants who make a claim before 3 April on the grounds of having a health condition or disability and are later found to have limited capability for work following a work capability assessment
Existing Universal Credit claimants who have a work capability assessment or review after 3 April 2017 and are assessed as having limited capability for work – this include claimants who were previously found to have limited capability for work and work-related activity and who, following that review, are now found to have limited capability for work.
Existing claimants who made their claim to Universal Credit before 3 April and are found fit for work, who request a mandatory reconsideration or appeal and are then found to have limited capability for work.

5. Background
The Improving Lives: The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper was developed jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department of Health and sets out this Personal Support Package for people with health conditions and disabilities
We want people with health conditions and disabilities to have the same opportunity to benefit from the positive effects that work can have, focusing on what they can do instead of what they cannot
The Government has announced a new Personal Support Package that will deliver tailored support to people through jobcentre work coaches. This package will start from Spring 2017
Two new elements to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claim process are also being introduced for new ESA claimants:
The ESA mandatory health and work conversation will support claimants with health conditions at an early stage in their ESA claim
An ESA Claimant Commitment that will align the ESA new claims process with the Universal Credit model

6. Personal Support Package
New Initiatives
Small Employer Offer
Journey to Employment (J2E)
Mental Health Training for work coaches
Community Partners
Changes to contracted provision
Work Choice
Work and Health Programme
Specialist Employability Support (SES)
Access to Work

7. Personal Support Package
Employment and Support Allowance claims process – new elements
ESA Health and Work Conversation
ESA – Claimant Commitment

8. Personal Support Package - eligible claimants
Claimant Group
ESA WRAG
ESA Support Group
UC LCW
Community Partners 
Small Employer Offer
Journey to Employment Job Clubs
Work Choice
Work & Health Programme
Specialist Employability Support
Access to Work
JCP Led Specialist Employability Support 1
Specialist Advice 1
Local Supported Employment 1
Young Persons Supported Work Experience 1
Intensive WRAG Support Trial 1
1 Proofs of concept

9. New initiatives

10. New initiatives
Community Partners
A new Community Partner role is being introduced in Jobcentre Plus districts
The role will vary and will depend upon the needs of claimants in the local area
Community Partners will give advice and support to work coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in all areas of disability. They will also give awareness of the effect a person’s disability can have on finding and keeping a job
Community Partners will promote the services available through external contractors to jobcentre staff and employers
Community Partners will also support Jobcentre Plus Partnership Teams by using their local knowledge and networks to identify local support and access to a wide range of local job opportunities

11. New initiatives
Small Employer Offer
The Small Employer Offer gives Jobcentre Plus the extra opportunity to connect with small local employers to raise awareness of the support available to them when employing a person with a long term health condition or disability
A new Small Employer Adviser role will oversee local small employer engagement and will coach jobcentre colleagues if needed. The Small Employer Adviser will support work coaches to develop and provide in-work support for small employers and their new employees.
Small Employer Advisers will work with people to understand their job aspirations, accessibility needs and any issues that may affect their ability to find work.
The Small Employer Offer is made up of several parts:
Working with small employers to develop and maintain relationships
Ensuring that the correct person is referred to a vacancy or work experience opportunity
Supporting employers and their employees when completing Access to Work applications E

12. New initiatives
Journey to Employment
The Journey to Employment job club will give people with a health condition or disability the opportunity to attend a peer supported job club
At the job club, people will be able to plan their support, for example identifying and developing personal action plans, support in managing their condition/s, improving their confidence and developing new skills
Each job club will be delivered by either a Disabled People’s User Led Organisation or a Voluntary Sector Organisation
A Community Employment Specialist will work in the job club and the jobcentre to support referring people to the job club and make sure that participants receive a consistent package of support
The job clubs will be based in the 71 Jobcentre Plus areas that have the highest number of people receiving ESA

13. Mental Health Training for work coaches
New initiatives
Mental Health Training for work coaches
The percentage of working age disabled people who have a mental health condition is 37% and the percentage of working age disabled people with a mental health condition who are in work is 32%*
We will provide our work coaches with extra training to give them the knowledge and confidence to support people with a mental health condition
The training will help work coaches to:
Speak confidently to people with a mental health condition
Be aware of how a person’s mental health condition can affect their ability to work or look for work
Talk to a claimant about what support is available and the benefits of that support
Increase the work coach’s confidence in engaging with and supporting employers about mental health issues
*Labour Force Survey disabled statistics, Improving Lives: The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper

14. Changes and extensions to provision

15. Work Choice in England and Wales
Changes and extensions to provision
Work Choice in England and Wales
Work Choice is a voluntary employment programme designed specifically for people who, due to their disability, may find it difficult to find or keep a job
Work Choice is delivered for DWP by external contractors and has effectively provided support, with job outcome rates seeing a steady improvement since the programme was introduced
From 3 April 2017 extra places on Work Choice are being funded for people who have limited capability for work and are not eligible for the Work Related Activity Component in ESA or the additional payment for having limited capability for work in Universal Credit who will be work ready within 12 months.
Referrals to the Work Programme and the current Work Choice are scheduled to end in April A new Work and Health programme is due to start in Autumn 2017.

16. Specialist Employability Support
Changes and extensions to provision
Specialist Employability Support
Specialist Employability Support is a two year programme that was introduced in October DWP is currently considering an extension to the programme and what support is required in the future
From 3 April 2017, extra places will be available to people who have limited capability for work and are not eligible for the Work Related Activity Component in ESA or the additional payment in for having limited capability for work in Universal Credit
Specialist Employability Support helps people who have a disability or health condition and complex support needs; and Work Choice or Work Programme are not suitable options
Specialist Employability Support has two support options:
Main provision – intensive employment focused support for people with complex employment needs, that are likely to take more than two – three months to resolve
Start Back – shorter term provision to help disabled people prepare to move into other support or move directly into work

17. Changes and extensions to provision
Access to Work
Access to Work gives financial support to help eligible people with a health condition or disability start work or stay in work.
Currently, people with a mental health condition can get six months of support via the Mental Health Support Service.
As part of the Personal Support Package, there will be an extra 1000 Mental Health Support Service places for claimants in the ESA Work Related Activity Group and for those with limited capability for work in Universal Credit to help them start work or stay in work
A marketing campaign is taking place to make people aware of the extra support available

18. Employment and Support Allowance claims process – new elements
ESA Changes
Employment and Support Allowance claims process – new elements
Also included in the Improving Lives: The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper is the introduction of two new elements to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims process:
A mandatory health and work conversation, 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. The health and work conversation will be rolled out incrementally from March 2017, roll out to be completed by September 2017
An ESA Claimant Commitment is a condition of entitlement to ESA for new claims to existing benefits and will set out the expectations and legal requirements that claimants will be required to accept in order to receive ESA. The mandatory ESA Claimant Commitment element, is expected to be in place nationally from summer 2017

19. Employment and Support Allowance – Health and Work Conversation (HWC)
ESA Changes
Employment and Support Allowance – Health and Work Conversation (HWC)
Health and work conversations will be mandatory for the majority of claimants – subject to exemptions. The health and work conversation will support claimants with health conditions at an early stage in their ESA claim, with conversations being held at around week-4
During the health and work conversation the work coach will work through a Health and Work Conversation booklet with the claimant to agree an action plan. All actions agreed between the work coach and the claimant will be voluntary
To protect vulnerable claimants, operational instructions will be issued explaining that it is not mandatory for claimants to attend the health and work conversation, if their circumstances deem that it would not be appropriate
Work coaches will have the flexibility to defer the health and work conversation if the claimant cannot attend due to their circumstances. If a claimant fails to attend the health and work conversation or fails to participate without good cause, a sanction will be applied and their ESA may be reduced