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Statutory guidance

Generic guidance for DWP providers

This guidance is for providers of all DWP employment-related programmes. It is also known as the framework generic provider guidance.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published:
1 December 2007
Last updated:
30 July 2025
Show all updates

  1. The generic provider guidance has had some minor adjustments after a review of the guidance.

  2. Updated the email address in paragraph 7.08 of Generic guidance for DWP providers. This now reads "Completed change request documents should be sent to  fg.cmpdbusinessmanagementteam@dwp.gov.uk."

  3. Published a revised version of the Generic guidance for DWP providers, and 3 forms: 'Report an unsafe interaction clerical report form', 'IF3 unsafe interaction witness report form' and 'Decision Log'.

  4. Changes have been made to chapter 6 (provider assurance) — the contact details section has been updated.

  5. Updated 'Other potential actions' chapter 6, paragraph 33.

  6. Updated paragraph 13 in 'Chapter 3: provider engagement' to remove reference to data security as this no longer applies to PAT review activities.

  7. Updated Chapter 2 Generic Provider guidance about safe guarding and Mappa.

  8. Updated contact details in Chapter 6: provider assurance.

  9. Updated chapter 6: provider assurance. Corrected name at paragraph 1 to Contracted Management and Partnership Directorate (CMPD). Revised information at paragraph 28 to explain how to address any issues or causes for concern. Updated paragraph 29 explaining what to do if a provider is unhappy with the outcome and paragraph 37 reporting concerns around data security. Also updated paragraph 38 with new PAT contact details and removed ‘Provider System Questionnaire (PSQ)’ as it was out of date.

  10. Chapter 11a 'ESF 2007 to 2013 requirements (England only)' of the generic provider guidance has been withdrawn. It refers to the previous European Social Fund (ESF) Programme that finished in 2014 and so is no longer current.

  11. Updated paragraph 5 of Chapter 8: Information security. You only need to send right of access request to the Right of Access Gateway Team if DWP is the data controller, or a joint data controllership exists with DWP. Where you are the independent data controller you should follow your internal procedures.

  12. Added new paragraphs 72 and 75 about the use of Electronic Signatures to Chapter 11b: European Social Fund (ESF) Requirements 2014 to 2020 (England Only). Information about Electronic Signatures has also been added at appropriate points in the chapter.

  13. Updated chapter 2 paragraph 120 and chapter 8 paragraph 8 - new email address - ches.businessmanagementteam@dwp.gov.uk.

  14. Updated chapter 11b: European Social Fund (ESF) Requirements 2014 to 2020 (England Only), by adding new information to paragraph 37, new paragraphs 64 to 71 and updated COVID-19 information throughout the chapter. Also, updated chapter 12: ESF 2014 to 2020: Good News Story Template and Consent Form.

  15. Revised paragraph 87 of chapter 2 - both HTML and PDF formats. The revised PDF is now labelled version 5.

  16. Published a revised version of Chapter 8: information security (now labelled version 4.4) – change to ‘Email Security’.

  17. Published a revised version of chapter 6 both HTML and PDF formats (now dated 15 February 2022), this includes a new version of the provider systems questionnaire.

  18. Revised chapter 2 (delivering provision) - both HTML and PDF formats. Removed information about the Merlin Standard and added new paragraphs (133 to 134) about what to do when a provider receives a request to erase participant information. The revised PDF is labelled version 4.

  19. Revised chapter 11b in both HTML and PDF formats (now dated June 2021) and Chapter 12 annex 1: Good news story template (now dated June 2021). These have additional information for providers about what to do as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

  20. Revised version of Chapter 12 annex 1: Good news story template (new version is dated May 2021).

  21. Revised chapter 11b in both HTML and PDF formats (now dated May 2021) and Chapter 12 annex 1: Good news story template (still dated June 2020).

  22. Revised version of Chapter 8: information security (now labelled version 4.3) - removed any duplication and references to old practices and policies.

  23. Revised chapter 8 - the separate sections on 'Security incident management' and 'Security incident reporting' have been combined into a single section, called 'Security incident management and reporting' (paragraph 26).

  24. Revised version of Chapter 8: Information Security (now labelled version 4.2). Change to the Security Incident Reporting process, everything else in the chapter remains the same.

  25. Revised chapter 11b (dated July 2020) and Chapter 12 annex 1: Good news story template (dated June 2020). Revised to include the temporary arrangements put in place to allow providers to continue to deliver provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of Chapter 11b and annex 1 still apply and are to be used in conjunction with the COVID-19 period easements cited in the COVID-19 instructions in the guidance.

  26. Published revised chapters 2 (now version 3.9) and 8 (now version 4.1).

  27. Revised chapters 8 (version 4) and 11b (version 2). Also published a revised good news story template and consent form (Chapter 12: annex 1).

  28. Published revised chapters 1 (version 2.2), 2 (version 3.8), 3 (version 2.2), 4 (version 2.2), 5 (version 6), 6 (version 7), 7 (version 2.1), 8 (version 3), 9 (version 2.4), 10 (version 2.1), 11a (version 4.2), 11b (version 1), 13 (version 3.1). Also published revised Merlin standard complaint report form.

  29. Published revised version of chapter 2 (version 3.7, dated 29.3.19).

  30. Published a revised version of the good news story template and consent form (chapter 12, annex 1).

  31. Published a revised version of chapter 11b - now dated May 2018. Changes include a revised annex 1: Good News Stories template.

  32. Revised chapter 8 (V2.8, dated 01/08/2018). The main changes are: 1) data protection section updated to include references to GDPR where appropriate, 2) a new right of access request section, and 3) changes to the security plan section.

  33. Published a revised version of chapter 2 (version 3.6, dated 1.8.17) - with updated information in paragraph 36 about fast track incidents.

  34. Published a revised version of chapter 6 (version 4 - May 2017), this includes a new version of the provider systems questionnaire.

  35. Published a revised version of chapter 8 (version 2.7 - 15/03/2017).

  36. Removed forms PARF1 and PARF2 - DWP no longer requires providers to complete these forms. Further information can be found in chapter 2 of the provider guidance.

  37. Published a revised version of chapter 2 (version 5, dated 11.8.16) - with updated information about programme accident report forms 1 (PARF1) and 2 (PARF2).

  38. Published a revised version of chapter 8 (version 2.6), dated 6 June 2016.

  39. Published a revised version of chapter 9 - version 2.3 (dated 29.2.16).

  40. Published new chapter 11b: European Social Fund requirements 2014 to 2020 (England only) and revised version of Chapter 12: ESF declaration form.

  41. Published revised chapter 10 -- Sustainable development (v3).

  42. Published chapter 11 of Provider Generic Guidance, ESF 2007 – 2013 requirements (England Only).

  43. Published revised chapters 1 (version 4), 2 (version 4), 5 (version 3.3), 6 (version 3) and 13 (version 3).

  44. Removed Chapter 11 - guidance is out of date and undergoing revision. A revised version will be published soon.

  45. Published revised chapters 2 (version 4) and 6 (version 3).

  46. Published a revised clerical incident report form.

  47. Published revised chapter 5 – version 3.3 (2 February 2015).

  48. Revised chapter 5 includes new correspondence address for Provider Payment Validation Team.

  49. Published revised versions of chapters 2 and 5.

  50. Published a revised version of chapter 2 - Delivering DWP Provision.

  51. Published a revised version of chapter 5 - Evidencing/Validating Payments

  52. Removed the 'Good news participant permission form' - use the 'Good news story template and consent form – annex 1' instead.

  53. Published revised version of Chapter 2 'Delivering DWP Provision', Framework generic guidance: provider guidance.

  54. Updated versions of chapters two and five of the DWP framework generic provider guidance now live.

  55. Revised chapter 13 published.

  56. Revised version of chapter 5 published.

  57. Revised chapters 5 and 11 published.

  58. Chapter 2 - Delivering DWP Provision has been updated.

  59. First published.

Documents

Generic guidance for DWP providers

HTML

Report an unsafe interaction clerical report form

ODT, 15.9 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

IF3 unsafe interaction witness report form

ODT, 17.1 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Validation Report/Decision Log

ODS, 86.8 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Details

This provider guidance provides requirements and background information for all Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employment-related programmes.

Guidance about specific programmes can be found in the DWP programme specific provider guidance.

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