Guidance

Local Supported Employment: guidance for local authorities

Published 23 May 2022

Applies to England and Wales

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1. Introduction

1. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is providing grant funding for approximately 20 County Councils and Unitary Authorities (including Metropolitan Councils and London Boroughs) in England and Wales, to take part in the Local Supported Employment (LSE) Initiative. The Initiative is aimed at helping adults with learning disabilities, autism or both to move into competitive employment providing the support they need to maintain that employment (“Supported Employment”).

2. This Initiative will help the growth of LA-led Supported Employment. Through co-funding and providing the framework for LSE, DWP aims to enable the delivery of high-quality Supported Employment which adheres to the 5 Stage Supported Employment Model. The longer-term ambition of this Initiative is to provide further evidence to LAs of the value of Supported Employment and to help build sustained LA investment in Supported Employment to secure effective employment for people with learning disabilities, autism or both.

3. Evidence from the LSE PoC showed positive impacts on an individual’s self-esteem, job satisfaction, Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) and social contacts. Further evaluation from this Initiative will include a Participant survey and economic evaluation and aims for DWP to capture those benefits using QALY measurement. LAs need to deliver all stages of the 5 Stage Supported Employment model.

4. The Grant will be paid under the Employment and Training Act 1973. All LAs in England and Wales were invited to submit a Grant Application. The criteria by which LAs will be chosen as Grant Recipients can be found in Appendix A: Grant Application Instructions. It is a condition of the Grant Funding Agreement that match funding must be provided by Grant Recipients. For every Participant the Grant Recipient is required to provide Grant Recipient Match Funding to the value of at least £1,500. Further details can be found in Section 5 of this Guidance (Grant funding).

5. This Guidance sets out the:

  • background, including PoC Grant details
  • Payment Model
  • Grant Application process and requirements
  • MI reporting requirements

6. This document should be read in conjunction with the:

  • Grant Application launch letter, issued on 14 April 2022
  • Grant Application and Profile templates
  • MI reporting template

7. This guidance document is subject to change. Updated documents will be circulated following any update.

2. Background

8. The government made a public commitment to delivering LSE in the Adult Social Care Reform White Paper and the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper (England) to ensure that everyone should get the support they need whatever their disability or health condition.

9. Disabled people with autism (21.7%) and severe or specific learning disabilities (26.5%) had the lowest employment rates (January to June 2020) across all the main impairment types. This is significantly lower than the employment rate for the disabled population as a whole in the same period (53.6%). The employment rate for those with learning disabilities known to social care services has always been very low and has been between 5% and 6% in recent years.

10. There is strong international evidence that Supported Employment is effective for this group. In this context, Supported Employment is about achieving a mainstream job outcome at the Going Rate Of Pay with necessary support provided for the individual and employer in order to sustain the job.

The 5 Stage Supported Employment model

11. Supported Employment has been successfully used for decades as a model for supporting people with significant disabilities to secure and retain paid employment. Supported Employment does not adhere to a work readiness model, rather a Place, Train and Maintain approach is implemented.

12. Grant Recipients must adhere to the 5 Stage Supported Employment Model which is set out in Annex A.

PoC

13. DWP, along with LAs, ran the LSE PoC, from November 2017 for 18 months. The last day on provision was 31 May 2019: with the last date for referrals being 31 January 2019. The PoC aimed to increase the number of Supported Employment places delivered in partnership with 9 LAs through match funding from DWP. The PoC aimed to complement existing provision to test whether delivering Supported Employment to a specified model drives better results and to identify a viable and effective way of delivering Supported Employment in partnership with LAs.

14. Following a consultation process with the 9 participating LAs, a lessons learned exercise was completed and DWP has applied the lessons learned and feedback from LAs to incorporate changes into the design of this Initiative.

3. Scope

15. Initiative funding will be provided to LAs who are successful in the Grant Application process for the purpose of supporting a new cohort of 60-140 individuals per LA into employment in accordance with the 5 Stage Supported Employment Model set out at Annex A.

16. DWP is aiming to deliver Supported Employment for approximately 2,000 Participants in approximately 20 LA areas. Evidence from other Supported Employment programmes suggests that at least 30% of Participants should start some form of work, in other words, at least 600 Participants starting some form of work through the Initiative.

2. Grant details

17. LAs who wish to become Grant Recipients of a Grant will be required to recruit Participants to LSE, submit an application for a Grant and provide Supported Employment to a range of between 60 to 140 Participants across the Funding Period of the Initiative (November 2022 to March 2025). When determining the number of Participants LAs are committing to support on the Initiative, LAs should ensure they provide a clear rationale within their application to validate the number of Participants they are committing to support on the Initiative. This may include reflecting location (rural or urban), customer demographics and any other relevant internal or external factors, which might impact the number of Participants that the LA can successfully recruit and support.

18. Grant Recipients must enter into a Grant Funding Agreement with DWP. The Grant Funding Agreement must be signed for and on behalf of the Grant Recipient (as set out in the Grant Funding Letter) and returned to DWP.

Funded Activities

19. Grant Recipients will:

  • Deliver the implementation activities outlined in the Grant Application, such as development of supporting processes and procedures, recruitment, training and marketing
  • Deliver Supported Employment for people with a learning disability, autism or both who meet all of the eligibility criteria to be a Participant
  • Be responsible for confirming eligibility of each Participant through local job centres
  • Market the Initiative to reach the target customer group. LSE is aimed at individuals with a learning disability, autism or both
  • Start the eligible Participants onto LSE (following Eligibility Checks)
  • Ensure that a Job Start is achieved for at least 30% of its Participants
  • Ensure as many Participants as possible work over 16 hours per week for at least 13 weeks during a 26-week period
  • Ensure Participants are being paid at least the minimum hourly wage relevant to their age group
  • Provide all information/documentation requested by DWP for the purposes of activities undertaken by DWP to evaluate the effectiveness and success of the Initiative

20. Grant Recipients must deliver all stages of the 5 Stage Supported Employment Model as set out in Annex A of this Guidance. Grant Recipients must also ensure their delivery is assessed against the SEQF. Further information can be found at Section 10 of this Guidance (Fidelity Assessment).

21. Grant Recipients will recognise and adopt good practice and tailor the LSE they provide to each Participant’s individual needs.

22. Grant Recipients may outsource elements of their LSE provision to one or more Activity Delivery Partners as they see fit. It remains the responsibility of the Grant Recipient to:

  • Meet all obligations of the Grant Recipient under the Grant Funding Agreement
  • Carry out performance management of any Activity Delivery Partner the Grant Recipient uses

23. Grant Recipients must ensure LSE continues to be delivered in accordance with the Grant Funding

Agreement

24. Each Grant Recipient must ensure that in carrying out the Funded Activities, it complies with all of its obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 including, but not limited to, in relation to any records relating to the Participant and the Participant’s involvement with the Initiative. In the event of a freedom of information request being submitted, the Grant Recipient will be responsible for all aspects that relate to delivery of the Initiative. However, DWP will be responsible for requests in relation to strategic intent and policy.

25. Grant Recipients must acknowledge and act in accordance with their duty of care to protect vulnerable adults enrolled on the Initiative during all activities related to it. This includes ensuring that all Grant Recipient staff, Activity Delivery Partners and employers are appropriately trained and that sufficient background checks have been carried out to safeguard Participants in line with the Grant Recipient’s existing safeguarding policy for vulnerable adults.

26. Grant Recipients will be required to collect MI to support Grant funding payments and validation of payment of Grants.

27. Grant Recipients who deliver LSE to members of the public in Wales should be aware that they must comply with and fully understand their obligations regarding the DWP Welsh Language Scheme.

28. All communications with Grant Recipients will be issued to the Grant Recipient’s SPOC. It is the responsibility of Grant Recipients to notify DWP of any change to SPOC details.

29. The Grant Recipient must, as appropriate and practical, reference that the Grant is funded by DWP or UK Government in any publicity material, including online channels and media releases. Materials produced by Grant Recipients must not adversely affect the reputation of the Initiative or DWP or the government, for example the Grant Recipient should not produce marketing materials, communications or messages which could lead to adverse media attention, or could be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

30. Grant Recipients must ensure that all Participants can access information and must ensure such information is available in a variety of alternative formats which may be requested by Participants.

31. Any complaints and conflict management in relation to Funded Activities must be handled by the Grant Recipient in line with their established complaints management policies and procedures.

Engagement

Once the successful LAs have been selected, DWP will facilitate invitations to face-to-face regional workshops and teleconferences throughout the Initiative; allowing Grant Recipients to share their experiences and help each other resolve any issues:

  • DWP aims to commence joint working with an All MS Teams call with all the LA SPOCs who have submitted an Expression of Interest form for the Initiative

  • The first face-to-face workshops will be delivered in August 2022 (dates and locations to be confirmed once successful LAs are known)

  • Follow up face-to-face meetings and teleconferences are expected to take place as and when required

  • Grant Recipients will be asked to attend checkpoints via telekit with DWP throughout the design, implementation and delivery phases

32. Each Grant Recipient will be assigned and made aware of their Regional Engagement Lead (REL), who will work with Grant Recipients, share good practice and provide ongoing support to Grant Recipients throughout the Initiative implementation and delivery phases.

33. REL support will continue throughout the Funding Period until March 2025.

Eligibility

In order to be a Participant, individuals must meet the following criteria set out in paragraphs 34 to 43 below.

34. Individuals who have a learning disability or autism or both and meet the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability and are known to adult social care department of the Grant Recipient

35. Individuals who have a learning disability or autism or both and meet the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability and are known to LAs with the same level of employment support needs as those above.

36. Individuals will not have to provide medical evidence to be eligible for LSE.

37. Individuals must be economically inactive (not in paid employment or paid self-employment).

38. Individuals must not be on another DWP contracted employment programme or provision. They must also not be on another programme or provision delivered by another government department, charitable trust, or third party.

39. Individuals must be of Working Age (18 years old in England/16 years old in Wales) or over.

40. Individuals must show willingness and understand the benefit of participating in LSE to find and sustain paid work.

41. Grant Recipients must complete an Eligibility Check for each proposed Participant which should be sent to the jobcentre SPOC who will confirm that the proposed Participant is not already enrolled on another DWP programme or provision and is therefore eligible. The template that Grant Recipients should use for this purpose is provided in Annex B to this Guidance.

42. There is no requirement for an individual to be in receipt of specific benefits and receipt of benefits does not render an individual ineligible to be a Participant

43. In order to be a Participant on LSE, individuals should have an entitlement to public funds, for example, welfare benefits.

5. Grant Funding

Payment Model

44. The Grant will consist of Regular Payments and Provision Payments, in addition to reimbursement of the costs of Fidelity Assessments as set out in paragraph 111. The total amount of the Grant payable to the Grant Recipient will not in any circumstances exceed the Maximum Sum specified in the Grant Funding Agreement.

45. The total of all Regular Payments (“Regular Payments Total”) will be calculated as £2,450 x the number of Participants the Grant Recipient proposed to start on LSE as indicated in the Grant Recipient’s Grant Application or as agreed with DWP, i.e. 70% of the Grant Funding per Participant (£3,500). The Regular Payments Total will be paid as Regular Payments of equal amounts paid in arrears following the relevant Instalment Period over the 11 Instalment Periods of the Funding Period.

46. The total of the Provision Payments payable for each Participant who has a Start On Provision which occurs from the start of the Activity Delivery Period until the end of the 22nd month of the Funding Period (both dates inclusive) will be £1,050, i.e. 30% of the Grant Funding per Participant (£3,500), which will be payable as follows (figures rounded to 2 decimal places):

i. the first Provision Payment in respect of an eligible Participant will be payable following the Instalment Period in which the relevant Start On Provision occurred (the “Relevant Instalment Period”) and will be calculated as £36.21 per month x the number of months from the start of the Activity Delivery Period until the end of the Relevant Instalment Period; and

ii. a payment of £108.62 (i.e. £36.21 per month x 3) will be made in respect of each Instalment Period for the first nine 3-month Instalment Periods of the Activity Delivery Period and a payment of £72.41 (i.e. £36.21 per month x 2) will be paid for the final 2-month Instalment Period each paid after the Relevant Instalment Period to the end of the Funding Period.

No Provision Payment will be made in respect of the Implementation Period or in respect of any Participant whose Start On Provision is after the end of the 22nd month of the Funding Period unless otherwise agreed in writing by DWP. Provision Payments will be paid in arrears following the relevant Instalment Period.

47. At the end of each Instalment Period during the Funding Period, the Regular Payment and the Provision Payment (if payable for that Instalment Period) will be transferred to the Grant Recipient as a combined single amount (“Combined Instalment Period Payment”). The first Regular Payment is expected to be made in November 2022 to contribute to the set up and implementation costs incurred by the Grant Recipient up to 31 October 2022. Further Regular Payments will be made following each Instalment Period in arrears until the end of the Funding Period.

48. The first Provision Payment is expected to be made in March/January 2023 following receipt by the DWP of MI reports in relation to Participants which the Grant Recipient has started on LSE in the first 3 months of the Activity Delivery Period. Further Provision Payments will be paid following each Instalment Period in arrears, subject to MI reports, in relation to Participants with a Start On Provision during the relevant Instalment Period (in addition to continuing payments for eligible Participants who have already started).

49. Grant Recipients need to consider their provision start profile over the first 19 months of the Activity Delivery Period so that the last 10 months of the Activity Delivery Period are solely focused on Job Starts and supporting Participants in employment. To manage DWPs internal yearly budget allocations DWP reserves the right to defer Regular Payments and/or Provision Payments to the following year if a Grant Recipient exceeds its projected profile of Participants starting on provision, provided always that the Grant payable to the Grant Recipient will not in any circumstances exceed the Maximum Sum specified in the Grant Funding Agreement.

50. Expenditure Returns must be endorsed by the Grant Recipient’s Section 151 officer in accordance with their statutory assurance responsibility by the Grant Recipient copying its Chief Financial Officer and Section 151 Officer into the email.

Example 1 – Regular Payment

LA applies for 80 Starts On Provision.

Unit regular payment (70% of £3,500) = £2,450

Total Regular Payment = (unit regular payment) £2,450 x (number of placements) 80 = £196,000 Implementation Period ends October 2022

Activity Delivery Period runs from November 2022 to March 25 = 29 months or 10 Instalment Periods. 11 Instalment Periods in total including Implementation Period.

Regular Payment for the first ten 3-month Instalment Periods = (total Regular Payment) £196,000 divided by (number of months of the Initiative including the Implementation Period) 32 multiplied by (months in Instalment Period) 3 = £18,375 (Instalment Period Regular Payment)

The last Instalment Period is 2-months and the Regular Payment = (total Regular Payment) £196,000 divided by (number of months of the Initiative including the Implementation Period) 32 multiplied by (months in final Instalment Period) 2 = £12,250 (Final Instalment Period Regular Payment)

Example 2 – Provision Payment

LA applies for 140 Starts On Provision.

Unit provision payment (30% of £3,500) = £1,050

Unit provision payment divided over 29 month Activity Delivery Period = £1,050/29 = £36.21* per month per Start On Provision, £108.62* per 3 month Instalment Period

LA reports 0 Starts On Provision for November-January 2023 Instalment Period, provision payment due in next Instalment Period payment = £0

LA reports 10 Starts On Provision over February-April 2023 Instalment Period Unit provision payment (£36.21) x Starts On Provision (10) = £362.06 x months elapsed since the beginning of Activity Delivery Period (6) =£2,172.41* to be paid in the next Instalment Period payment. A payment of £1,086.21* (£36.21* unit provision payment x 10 Participants x 3 months) will be paid each Instalment Period thereafter

*All payment figures are rounded to 2 decimal places

Payment Model examples

The above are some examples of how Regular Payments and Provision Payments may be calculated. These examples are given for guidance only and do not constitute an undertaking by DWP to use any particular basis for calculation or to pay any particular amounts.

51. Payment may be withheld if an LA fails to meet performance targets once DWP considers that all other reasonable avenues of performance management have been exhausted. This paragraph does not affect the rights and remedies of DWP under the Grant Funding Agreement. Match Funding

52. The Grant Recipient Match Funding is expected to be to the value of at least £1,500 per Participant. Grant Recipient Match Funding may take the form of funds, staff, resources or expenditure which must be in addition to the funds, staff resources or expenditure covered by the Grant.

53. The Grant Recipient Match Funding can take the form of funds, staff, resources or expenditure in any of the Cost Categories identified in the Eligible Expenditure section below provided such costs arise solely and directly from the implementation and delivery of the Initiative and are in addition to and separate from the costs of any existing Supported Employment services or activities the Grant Recipient may provide. Eligible Expenditure

54. The Grant must be used for expenditure incurred by the Grant Recipient solely arising from the implementation and delivery of LSE and which comes under the following cost categories:

  • Administration costs incurred by the LA in administering its delivery of LSE
  • Staffing costs
  • Marketing/advertising costs including webpage design
  • Costs of training of staff and Participants
  • Cost of staging/attending employment events such as job fairs
  • Transport costs where a Participant would not otherwise be able to attend employment/training
  • Costs associated with providing care for Participants
  • Costs associated with DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks
  • Participant’s childcare costs or Replacement Care Costs. See paragraphs 57 and 63 for further details

55. Grant Recipients should signpost Participants towards agencies who can support Participants with appropriate advice. This could include helping Participants to access DWP’s Access to Work programme, where appropriate.

56. To be Eligible Expenditure under LSE, all expenditure must be in addition to any other Supported Employment activities or services available from the Grant Recipient. For example, expenditure on Grant Recipient LSE job coach costs must be in addition to Grant Recipient staff delivering other Supported Employment activities or services available from the Grant Recipient and work placements provided by the Grant Recipient to Participants must be additional to those offered by the Grant Recipient under any other Supported Employment activities or services available from the Grant Recipient.

Childcare Costs

57. Where it is a barrier to participation in the LSE, childcare costs will constitute Eligible Expenditure by the Grant Recipient. Childcare costs in connection with attendance will only constitute Eligible Expenditure, if such childcare is provided by:

  • carers registered with OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education);
  • carers registered with Care Inspectorate Wales
  • a carer accredited under the Childcare Approval Scheme, run on school premises out of school hours or as an out of hours club by an LA, or
  • schools or establishments exempted from registration under the Children Act 1989 or operated on Crown property

If a Participant who is a parent or guardian arranges childcare with a carer/school/establishment not in the categories identified above then the costs of such childcare will not be covered by the Grant.

58. The Grant Recipient must ensure that Participants are informed that the Grant covers childcare costs for Participants on LSE.

59. DWP currently sets its costs for childcare up to the Tax Credit limits. Grant Recipients should consider the following limits when developing and pricing their proposals:

  • Help with childcare costs can be paid up to, but not including, the first Tuesday in the September following the child’s fifteenth birthday
  • Participants who are parents and require childcare for five days a week can claim up to a maximum of £175 per week for one child and £300 per week for two or more children
  • If the Participant is attending an approved activity of less than five days a week, they can claim up to the maximum daily rates of £35 per day for one child and £60 per day for two or more children

60. The child/children must satisfy the age requirement and be a dependent of and reside with the Participant.

61. Grant Recipients would be expected to avoid recommending particular childcare facilities to Participants.

62. Grant Recipients or Activity Delivery Partners may choose to arrange for a crèche facility to be on their premises. However, they must ensure it is the Participant parents’ choice whether their child uses the facility. Grant Recipients should also ensure that any crèche facilities adhere to current legislation.

63. Replacement Care Costs – Grant Recipients are expected to fund Replacement Care Costs for Participants, who are:

  • aged 18 or over (16 or over in Wales)
  • not in work, and
  • spend a significant proportion of their lives providing unpaid support to relatives, partners or friends who are ill, frail, disabled or have a mental health or substance misuse problem

64. Replacement Care Costs may constitute Eligible Expenditure where such costs are:

(i) incurred in respect of Participants who are carers participating in Funded Activities in connection with LSE which has been requested/arranged/approved by the Grant Recipient; and/or

(ii) the Replacement Care Costs are on a one-off basis, for example where the Participant is attending an interview with the Grant Recipient or prospective employer which has been pre-arranged/agreed by the Grant Recipient. Other alternatives, such as moving the time/date of an interview or activity, should be considered before Replacement Care Costs are incurred by the Grant Recipient.

65. The Grant Recipient must ensure that Participants are informed that the Grant covers Replacement Care Costs for Participants on LSE.

66. Replacement Care Costs will not be covered by the Grant if the replacement care is provided by family members of the Participant.

67. Replacement care must be provided by providers of care registered with the local authority or a care organisation registered with either the Care Inspectorate Wales or the Care Quality Commission (England) within the Individual’s (and by extension, the LA’s) respective local area.

68. Grant Recipients would be expected to avoid recommending particular replacement care facilities to Participants.

Ineligible Expenditure

69. Ineligible Expenditure shall include but not be limited to:

  • any contribution to the Participant’s salary
  • the cost of submitting the Grant Application
  • incentives paid to Participants
  • contributions in kind
  • interest payments or service charge payments for finance leases
  • gifts
  • statutory fines, criminal fines or penalties civil penalties, damages or any associated legal costs
  • payments for works or activities which the Grant Recipient, or any member of staff of the Grant Recipient or their Activity Delivery Partner, has a statutory duty to undertake, or that are fully funded by other sources
  • bad debts to related parties
  • payments for unfair dismissal or other compensation
  • depreciation, amortisation or impairment of assets owned by the Grant Recipient
  • the acquisition or improvement of assets by the Grant Recipient (unless the Grant is explicitly for capital use – this will be stipulated in the Grant Funding Letter)
  • liabilities incurred before the commencement of the Grant Funding Agreement unless agreed in writing by DWP

Fraud

70. Grant Recipients should ensure that Activity Delivery Partners are genuine, qualified and capable of delivering the required Funded Activities, and that the use of the Activity Delivery Partner by the Grant Recipient represents value for money. This may include the Grant Recipient carrying out due diligence, pre-procurement checks, ongoing performance management of all Activity Delivery Partners and the Grant Recipient making payments in arrears to all Activity Delivery Partners.

71. In the event that the Grant Recipient knows or suspects or should have known or suspected, that fraudulent activity of any kind has taken place in connection with LSE or the Grant, the Grant Recipient must notify DWP immediately providing full details of the fraudulent activity, including but not limited to, the nature, the scope and the total monetary value of the fraudulent activity.

VAT

72. The Grant Recipient should seek its own independent advice regarding the VAT implications of the Grant, the Regular Payments and the Provision Payments.

73. If Grant Recipients elect to charge VAT on payments made to them by DWP then they must provide DWP with full VAT invoices alongside the MI report at the next reporting period.

74. If Grant Recipients incur VAT from Activity Delivery Partners or third-party suppliers, this remains the responsibility of the Grant Recipient. VAT costs incurred by the Grant Recipient should not be passed on to DWP and VAT costs incurred by the Grant Recipient do not constitute Eligible Expenditure.

6. Timeline

75. The deadline for LAs to submit a Grant Applications is 5pm on 26 May 2022. Information and support regarding the Grant Application process can be obtained by sending questions to the DWP LSE Grant Team.

76. Grant Applications will be assessed in May/June 2022 and LAs will be notified of the outcome in July 2022. If an LA is successful, it is expected that they will then begin the process of finding and training Activity Delivery Partners (if applicable) as well as resourcing and staff training. LAs will have a 3-month implementation window before commencement of the Activity Delivery Period with Grant Recipients beginning to actively recruit and support Participants into employment from November 2022 to March 2025. More details are provided in the table below. DWP will make every effort to notify LAs who submit Grant Applications as early as possible in the event that the timeline needs to be adjusted.

Activity Date/s
Invitation to apply for Grant including GFA template issued to LAs. 14 April 2022
Grant Application preparation period. 4 April 2022 until 26 May 2022
Grant Application closing date. 26 May 2022
LAs notified of outcome. July 2022
Completed Grant Funding Agreement (with details of particular Grant Recipient and Grant etc filled in) issued to successful LAs. July 2022*
Completed Grant Funding Agreement deadline for signature and return. July 2022*
Implementation Period. 1 August 2022 until 31 October 2022
Activity Delivery Period. 1 November 2022 until 31 March 2025

Note: *Dates TBC

7. Implementation Period

77. During the 3-month Implementation Period, LAs should deliver the implementation activities outlined in their application (which will form part of the Funded Activities), such as:

  • appointment of Activity Delivery Partners and training partners, if applicable
  • relevant recruitment and training carried out
  • development of supporting processes and procedures ready for service
  • marketing of the Initiative
  • regular engagement with REL

8. Activity Delivery Period

78. The Activity Delivery Period runs from 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2025 and is made up of two phases: Recruitment Phase and Participant Support Phase.

79. During the Recruitment Phase LAs will be seeking to identify potential Participants, establishing eligibility and supporting Participants in their job search and into employment.

80. The last 10 months of the Initiative is the Participant Support Phase. No Provision Payments will be payable in respect of Participants who start on LSE after 19 months from the start of the Activity Delivery Period. It is expected that Grant Recipients will be working with Participants through the stages of Supported Employment for a minimum of 10 months and therefore the last 10 months of the Initiative will be for Grant Recipients to support existing Participants. Note: LAs should consider in their recruitment plans that the average period of support for Participants is 12 months.

81. At the transition point from Recruitment Phase to Participant Support Phase, if there are reasonable grounds for exception to the rule that no Provision Payments will be payable in respect of Participants who start on LSE after 19 months from the start of the Activity Delivery Period, Grant Recipients may discuss this with the REL and it will be considered by DWP on a case by case basis.

82. The Grant Recipient must seek consent from all Participants and potential Participants to the sharing of data with DWP to check eligibility and to enable DWP to evaluate the Initiative. The Grant Recipient must ensure a Participant agreement template at Annex C is signed by all potential Participants before any Eligibility Check can be sent to the jobcentre SPOC.

Identification Process

Step Action
1. Grant Recipient identifies a potential Participant.
2. Grant Recipient engages with potential Participant and discusses participation in LSE.
3. Grant Recipient ensures potential Participant signs to give consent to share their data with the relevant jobcentre.
4. Grant Recipient emails the completed Eligibility Check Template to the Jobcentre SPOC. Note: Activity Delivery Partners cannot submit a completed Eligibility Check Template. All requests for Eligibility Checks must come from the Grant Recipient.
5. Jobcentre SPOC will return the completed Eligibility Check Template within three working days confirming whether the potential Participant is eligible or not.

83. Where the potential Participant is on existing provision that is due to end within the next six months, the Jobcentre SPOC will notify the Grant Recipient to check eligibility again after the relevant timescale. It is up to the Grant Recipient to re-send the Eligibility Check Template after this time has elapsed if they wish to check if the potential Participant’s eligibility status has changed.

84. Grant Recipients should consider the Participant’s ability to give consent if appropriate and consider carer’s consent if there is permission to act on behalf of the Participant.

Grant Recipient / Activity Delivery Partner Interaction with Participant

85. Grant Recipients are required to update Participants following the Eligibility Check.

86. All travel costs, costs associated with personal protective equipment and childcare will be met by Grant Recipients as explained in Section 4 of this Guidance.

Step Action
1. If potential Participant is eligible, Grant Recipient contacts potential Participant to advise and invite them to participate in LSE.
2. Grant Recipient/Activity Delivery Partner starts working with the Participant to find suitable employment.
3. Grant Recipient records ‘Start date on provision’ in MI template.
4. Grant Recipient records dates of steps through to securing employment in MI template.

Participant secures employment

87. When a Participant secures employment, the first date of employment must be recorded in the MI template at Appendix D.

88. Employment for the purposes of LSE can include:

  • one or more Job Starts
  • paid apprenticeships
  • self-employment
  • zero hours contract
Step Action
1. Grant Recipient secures employment for Participant.
2. Grant Recipient records first employment date for Participant in MI template.

Participant leaves provision

89. Participants may leave LSE provision for a number of reasons, including but not limited to starting work, failing to engage with the programme after DWP has been notified that they have started on LSE provision or the Participant no longer wishing to participate. Grant Recipients should record the reason against the most appropriate option in the MI template and provide any additional notes if required.

9. MI and reporting requirements

90. There will be an MI template to complete and return to DWP each month. This will include a summary of the costs incurred by the Grant Recipient or Cluster Member that month and the number of staff working on the Initiative (within the Grant Recipient, a Cluster Member and / or a Activity Delivery Partner), over and above those delivering supported employment provision other than LSE.

91. The MI reporting template will comprise of a summary sheet and a Participant tab for each Participant to enable the Grant Recipient to record how the Participant is progressing through the Initiative, i.e., provision start date, job start date, number of hours worked, earnings and any changes to their working pattern throughout the period of the Initiative.

92. The MI template can be found in Appendix D. It should be returned by the 14th of each month, containing updates on progress achieved over the previous month to give a cumulative picture of Participant progress on the Initiative. MI templates should be returned to DWP.

93. Grant Recipients will need to obtain and retain evidence to provide assurance to DWP relating to hours worked, earnings and duration of employment, for example, information and documentation provided by the employer, wage slips, any Real Time Information (RTI) checks carried out with HMRC, evidence of self-employment.

94. DWP will monitor performance of the Grant Recipient for the duration of the Initiative against the Profile Template Appendix C of forecasted Starts On Provision, staffing level and expenditure completed by the Grant Recipient as part of the Grant Application.

95. Assurance may be sought by DWP or its commissioned representatives through a variety of means, including but not limited to reviewing the Grant Recipient audit trail of evidence held to support the Funded Activities, consulting with the Participant and or their employer(s), and/or through referring to other sources which DWP deems appropriate such as Government held data e.g., DWP, or His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) records, etc.

96. The DWP LSE team will review the monthly MI reports provided by Grant Recipients. The DWP LSE team will:

i. Monitor progress and produce a monthly report showing progress across all Grant Recipients in the Initiative

ii. Arrange for an Instalment Period Grant payment to be made to Grant Recipients made up of a Regular Payment and a Provision Payment based on the number of valid Starts On Provision reported in the MI for the preceding Instalment Period

iii. Engage with Grant Recipients where progress is falling behind the Grant Recipient’s forecasts with a view to developing an improvement plan.

97. Each Grant Recipient will be assigned a DWP Regional Engagement Lead REL. The REL will:

i. Support the Grant Recipient through implementation

ii. Share good practice across Grant Recipients

iii. Provide support to Grant Recipients during delivery of LSE

98. Grant Recipients will work with RELs to demonstrate adherence to the Grant Funding Agreement and the 5 Stage Supported Employment Model and provide associated evidence to DWP for quality assurance purposes.

99. When monitoring the monthly MI returns the DWP LSE team will contact Grant Recipients to understand the reasons for MI shortfalls and will work collaboratively with the Grant Recipient and the REL to agree actions for improvement. Grant payments may be withheld or the Grant Funding Agreement may be terminated if DWP determines that there are repeated problems which the Grant Recipient has failed to resolve to the satisfaction of DWP. DWP will work in partnership with Grant Recipients wherever possible to resolve problems.

100. Some of the areas of the MI report that the DWP LSE Team may contact the Grant Recipient to discuss could include but are not limited to:

i. Staff input

ii. Grant Recipient Match Funding

iii. Number of Participants who have started on provision (compared to the forecast provided by the LA). Please note that the actual number of Participants starting on provision will determine the amount of the Instalment Period Provision Payment to the LA

iv. Number of Job Starts including:

i. Duration of job placements e.g., over 13 weeks

ii. Numbers of hours worked e.g., over 8hrs and over 16hrs p/w

iii. Earnings bands

101. The DWP LSE Team will identify performance issues through analysis of MI returns and Fidelity Assessments and will co-ordinate performance management intervention (which may include requiring a Remedial Action Plan) in respect of the following key performance indicators:

i. A Grant Recipient making referrals of less than 90% of the number of Starts On Provision which the Grant Recipient proposed in the Profile Template as part of the Grant Application

ii. A Grant Recipient achieving less than 70% of the number of Starts On Provision which the Grant Recipient proposed in the Profile Template as part of the Grant Application

iii. A Grant Recipient achieving Job Starts for less than 30% of the number of Starts On Provision

iv. More than 10% of the Participants who Start On Provision leave before 10 months for reasons other than a Job Start, and

v. A Grant Recipient failing to comply with a Remedial Action Plan

102. Grant Recipients or their Activity Delivery Partners will be scored as part of a Fidelity Assessment where they do not have the model fidelity quality accreditation for supported employment (see Section 10). Grant Recipients will work to develop and improve the LSE provided, as set out in the resulting Assessment Action Plan.

103. Where performance issues are identified, DWP intends to work with the Grant Recipient to provide support and agree a Remedial Action Plan (without affecting the rights and remedies of DWP under the Grant Funding Agreement). Please note that Grant payments may be withheld in the circumstances set out in clause 26 of the grant funding conditions.

MI Template Completion

104. The ‘Grant Recipient Summary Sheet’ should be populated each month with the current LSE staffing level relating to the reporting month, and the total, cumulative numbers to the end of the reporting month for each data item. There is also the opportunity to capture relevant notes or information that give additional context to the reported information.

105. The ‘Participant Reporting’ tab should be populated as follows:

i. Participant Reference Number – This is the number that the Grant Recipient has assigned to the Participant that allows for anonymised information to be reported. This reference number should be specific to a Participant and used to maintain reporting of a Participant’s progress on the Initiative

ii. Date of Referral to LSE – This is the date that a potential Participant is identified or referred to the Grant Recipient for consideration

iii. Referral Route – Dropdown to confirm if the potential Participant was identified and referred by Adult Social Care, known to the Grant Recipient directly, or by other means

iv. Type of Disability – Dropdown to allow selection of ‘learning disability’, ‘autism’ or ‘learning disability and autism’

v. Date Eligibility Check issued and date Eligibility Check returned – Relate to the dates of send and return of the Eligibility Check Template Annex B

vi. Eligible/Not Eligible and ‘where not eligible, reason for decision’ – Record the outcome of the Eligibility Check and the reason for the not eligible decision as a dropdown (where applicable)

vii. Start Date on LSE – This field being populated with a date results in Grant payment. Starting On Provision is defined as the first meeting between a Grant Recipient and a Participant following confirmation of eligibility, where the Participant signs up to the Initiative

viii. Start Date of Vocational Profiling / Start Date Employer Search / Date First Employment Identified / Date of Successful Job Offer – Dates entered to demonstrate progress along Supported Employment journey

ix. Job Title / Job Start Date – If more than one employment secured, use the first employment to complete these fields

x. Working Pattern Start/Change Date / Working Pattern / Earnings – These fields can be used to demonstrate changes within an employment or as a whole for a Participant, for example, an increase in hours over time

xi. Job Outcome – Dropdown for Grant Recipients to select ‘yes’ when a Participant reaches 8 hours paid employment per week for 13 weeks and 16 hours per week for 13 weeks over a 26-week period

xii. Ending LSE – Enter date the Participant left LSE provision and select a reason for leaving from the dropdown list provided

xiii. Summary of activities to support Job Start – There are 3 free text fields for Grant Recipient’s to record notes about the support and activities undertaken to assist a Participant in a job search. If a Participant only has one job search period over their time on the Initiative, only the first of these fields should be populated

xiv. Summary of employment support – There are 2 free text fields for the Grant Recipient to record notes about the support provided to the Participant whilst in employment. If the Participant only has one period of employment, only the first of these fields should be populated

106. There are tabs for quarterly reporting on Expenditure Return. Grant Recipients should capture all Initiative-related expenditure over the 3-month period as a cumulative total from the start of the Initiative against each expenditure type stated to show adherence to Grant Recipient Match Funding commitment. If an LA wishes to claim reimbursement for spend on Fidelity Assessments, this should also be captured here.

107. Each quarterly Expenditure Return must include your Section 151 Officer’s name and email address to provide assurance on validation of funding spend. Where a funding application has been submitted for a Cluster the S151 Officer for the Grant Recipient (being the lead member of the Cluster) should provide the necessary assurance for the Cluster.

10. Fidelity Assessment

Grant Recipients or their appointed Activity Delivery Partner who do not have a Fidelity accreditation for delivery of Supported Employment for this target group

108. Grant Recipients will be required to arrange for all Activity Delivery Partners to undertake a Fidelity Assessment assessing adherence to the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF). The Fidelity Assessments should be carried out by a supplier appointed by the Grant Recipient.

109. The purpose of the Fidelity Assessment is to assess adherence to best practice in respect of LSE. The Fidelity Assessor will provide tailored advice and support to each Grant Recipient or their appointed Activity Delivery Partner and identify opportunities for improvement in a Fidelity Assessment Action Plan.

110. Grant Recipients and their appointed Activity Delivery Partner should undertake a self-assessment. Grant Recipients or the Activity Delivery Partner should agree two external Fidelity Audits during the period of the Initiative, one between month 6 and month 12 of the Activity Delivery Period and the second between month 13 and month 24 of the Activity Delivery Period. They will be given a score based on their first Fidelity Assessment and a Fidelity Assessment Action Plan will be drafted to address any weaknesses or gaps identified through the assessment. Grant Recipients and their Activity Delivery Partners will then be given a score based on their second Fidelity Assessment. Grant Recipients and their Activity Delivery Partners should aim for an increase in their scores between the first and second Fidelity Assessments.

111. The Grant will include reimbursing the cost of up to £4,500 per Fidelity Assessment, a total of £9,000 for up to two Fidelity Assessments carried out over the course of the Initiative. Cost of Fidelity Assessments can be claimed via the MI template quarterly expenditure tab, and evidence of spend should be provided with the appropriate MI return. Costs of Fidelity Assessments will be included in the next Instalment Period Grant payment.

112. Grant Recipients and their Activity Delivery Partner, where relevant, must fully engage with the Fidelity Assessment process, complete the actions outlined in the Fidelity Assessment Action Plan in the period between the first and second Fidelity Assessments and fully utilise the assistance on offer from the Fidelity Assessment provider.

113. The agreed Fidelity Assessment Action Plan following each Fidelity Assessment must be shared with DWP for performance monitoring.

114. Should a Grant Recipient outsource all or part of LSE to one or more Activity Delivery Partners, each Activity Delivery Partner must undergo separate Fidelity Assessments. However only the cost of two Fidelity Assessments, (i.e., up to a total of £9,000) will be included by DWP as part of the Grant payment. Grant Recipients will have to fund any additional Fidelity Assessments themselves.

Grant Recipients or their appointed Activity Delivery Partner who do have Fidelity accreditation for delivery of Supported Employment for this target group

115. Where a Grant Recipient or their appointed Activity Delivery Partner has already secured Supported Employment accreditation, e.g., a quality kitemark for this target group, they should confirm this as part of the Grant Application and ensure this accreditation is retained for the duration of the Initiative. Fidelity accreditations are awarded to organisations that meet the SEQF criteria by independent supported employment auditors and if successful in their application, the Grant Recipient or their approved Activity Delivery Partner will be asked to provide evidence of this. While they hold and retain Fidelity accreditation, the Grant Recipient or their appointed Activity Delivery Partner will not need to undertake any further formal Fidelity Assessments throughout the Funding Period.

116. The Grant Recipient and each Activity Delivery Partner must commit to maintaining their Fidelity accreditation throughout the Funding Period. The cost of maintaining any Fidelity accreditation will not be paid by DWP and will not be included in any Grant payment.

11. Annual grant review

117. DWP will review the Grant annually. DWP will take into account the Grant Recipient’s delivery of the Funded Activities in accordance with the Grant Funding Agreement.

118. Each annual review may result in the DWP making a decision which may include but is not limited to the following:

  • that the Funded Activities and the Grant Funding Agreement should continue in line with existing plans.
  • that there should be an increase or decrease in the Grant for the subsequent Financial Year
  • that the Starts On Provision should be re-profiled and agreed
  • that the Grant Recipient should provide DWP with and implement a draft Remedial Action Plan setting out the steps the Grant Recipient will take to improve delivery of the Funded Activities
  • that the DWP should recover any Unspent Monies
  • that the Grant be terminated in accordance with the Grant Funding Agreement

12. Annexes

Annex A: 5 Stage Supported Employment Model

Stage 1 – Customer (Participant) Engagement

Marketing and Promotion of LSE Trailblazer

The responsibility lies with the LA to identify and engage with eligible Participants and all recruitment within the referral window.

Initial Customer Engagement

LAs are responsible for all initial engagement activity with the Participant which will include a discussion with the Participant regarding the provision to determine if it is the right programme for them. This engagement would be preferable face to face. If circumstances mean this isn’t possible, alternative contact channels should be considered.

LAs are required to gain the Participant’s consent to share information to enable the Eligibility Check to take place and other data to be gathered for the purposes of performance management and evaluation of the Initiative.

Job Coach Assigned and Introductory meeting

Once a Participant is confirmed as eligible, the Participant must be assigned a job coach who will be their point of contact for the duration of their time on provision.

The Participant must be informed of their eligibility, and the LA must make arrangements for an introductory meeting.

An introductory meeting between the Participant and their assigned job coach must be held within 10 working days of the Participant agreement to join the provision. Once the introductory meeting has been held, and the claimant has agreed and signed up to the support they will be regarded as having started the programme.

Stage 2 – Vocational Profiling

The initial vocational assessment is a “living document” and updated over time with information from work experiences in competitive jobs. The resulting vocational profile includes information about preferences, experiences, skills, needs, strengths, support networks, etc., and is updated to reflect learning from workplace experiences. Sources of information include the Participant, and with their permission, family members, carers, education/training providers and previous employers.

Undertaking labour market research and employer engagement is a natural part of vocational profiling to allow the individual to make informed choice over their career aspirations.

This stage should include as a minimum:

  • Discuss with the Participant their preferences, skills and needs
  • Develop and agree an Action Plan with the Participant
  • Discussions with the Participant’s circle of support where appropriate and applicable
  • Meeting frequency should be at least on a weekly basis
  • A discussion with the Participant regarding financial factors including impact of work on overall income and benefit eligibility
  • Consideration of non-work factors which may be a barrier to employment
  • Action Plan and Review

Each Participant should have an Action Plan which should be developed and agreed between the Participant and the LA job coach and this should be regularly updated with any actions planned and taken.

Progress reviews must be conducted regularly and the Action Plan should be updated after each review. If the programme is not deemed to be a suitable provision for the Participant, LAs should discuss alternative support is more appropriate.

Stage 3 – Engaging Employers

Job Coaches should develop a range of employer contacts aimed at identifying a good job match based on Participant preferences (relating to what each person enjoys and their personal goals), strengths (including experience, skills etc.) and needs (including health needs, concentration and stamina levels etc) rather than those jobs that are most immediately available. An individualised job search plan is developed and updated with information from the vocational assessment/profile form and new job/educational experiences.

The provider must support employers to develop, design or customise jobs, negotiating with the employer to agree reasonable adjustments and ensure a risk assessment to address equality and diversity, health and safety and safeguarding issues is completed.

The LA will use their knowledge and expertise to build relationships with employers, adhering to best practice and the 5 Stage Supported Employment Model to engage employers and ensure the best outcomes for Participants.

This will include as a minimum:

Utilise sources of local labour market intelligence to identify employers.

Articulating the business case for employing people with disabilities and supported employment and be able to address employer’s concerns.

Seeking competitive and inclusive employment and providing support to employers to help them to recruit a diverse workforce.

Ensure that the employer is aware of their responsibilities and relevant legislation to ensure that workplaces are safe and to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of Participants.

Sharing of personal information:

Job Coaches provide Participants with accurate information and assist with evaluating their choices to make an informed decision regarding what is revealed to the employer about having a learning disability or autism or both.

The provider should advise and support employers to overcome barriers. For example, employers should be encouraged to use “working interviews” which allow individuals to demonstrate their skills in the workplace rather than rely on traditional recruitment and selection methods such as formal interviews which can discriminate against some people with learning disability.

Stage 4 – Vocational Profiling/Job Matching

Eligible employment for the purposes of LSE must follow the principles:

Wages are paid at the Going Rate Of Pay for the job. This must be at least the National Living Wage per hour rate.

The employee enjoys the same terms and conditions as all other employees

The job helps the person meet their life goals and aspirations

The role is valued by managers and colleagues

The job has similar hours and times at work as other employees, with safe working conditions

This stage will involve working closely with partners so that the Participant and employers get the best possible job match taking into account the Participant’s vocational profile, their skills and abilities and the activities and requirements of the role.

Rapid job search for competitive open market employment should begin at the earliest appropriate opportunity. Initial employment assessment and first job application/face-to-face employer contact by the Participant or the Job

Coach about a competitive job, should ideally occur as soon as sufficient insight is achieved through vocational profiling.

This will include:

  1. Analysis of the job opportunity to ensure the job and environment are suitable for the candidate. The job analysis should identify the core requirements for the job role, the employer’s targets for quality and productivity and any relevant cultural issues.
  2. Discussion with the individual and/or the employer to identify if any extra assistance or alteration to working practice or the environment are needed.
  3. May involve techniques such as job carving, job design and analysis of the role to best meet the needs of the individual and employer.
  4. Provide advice and guidance to the employer as appropriate, ensuring they have knowledge of reasonable adjustments, Access to Work and other support that can help them to ensure they are prepared to appropriately support the individual.
  5. Training, work experience, volunteering and short internships are not considered competitive paid jobs but as work skills development and preparation opportunities.

All activity undertaken should be recorded in the Action Plan.

Note: Stages 3 and 4 can take place concurrently with Stage 2 Vocational Profiling. In the event that finding the most suitable job takes time, the Participant should continue with any relevant actions on their Action Plan, which might include vocational skills learning. All Participants are offered assistance in obtaining comprehensive, individualised work incentives planning before starting a new job and assistance accessing employment benefits planning thereafter when making decisions about changes in work hours and pay. Employment benefits planning includes the impact on all sources of income and fringe benefits (Personal Independence Payments, travel concession, Working Tax Credits, Universal Credit etc.) and all costs associated with commencing or changing employment. Participants are provided information and assistance about reporting earnings to any other programme that needs to know the new income details (e.g., Housing, Council Tax, HMRC etc.). The use of the Access to Work scheme needs to be considered to provide support and adjustments in work.

Stage 5 – In-Work Support and Career Development

LAs will use their knowledge and expertise to provide support for the Participant once they are in employment, tailored to the individual’s needs.

This support can include:

  • Verbal instruction, prompts and demonstrating using simple language
  • Ensuring people have more time to learn
  • Use of naturally occurring praise, reinforcement or pay incentives
  • Managing work pressure/ productivity demands
  • Systematic instruction such as breaking tasks into steps, “chaining” tasks together and developing a hierarchy of cues
  • Understanding and using physical guidance and gestures
  • Developing ways for work-based accreditation of skills
  • Developing peer support and job clubs
  • Supporting the Participants’ induction and providing on-site training support if needed
  • Offering out of work support if required
  • Updating and reviewing the Action Plan to support the Participant’s learning and progress in the workplace on a regular basis
  • Activity and targets that include the social inclusion of the worker within the workplace
  • Support and guidance for the employer to help them better meet the individual’s needs
  • Ongoing support to address any barriers that may be affecting the individual’s progress and participation in the workplace

Meeting frequency will be determined by the LA in agreement with the individual and employer. It may be intensive during the first few weeks with a view to reducing support gradually and in line with the individual’s needs.

The Action Plan must be reviewed and updated on a regular basis and targets should include the social inclusion of the Participant within the workplace.

Participants should be encouraged to increase their working hours and seek progression opportunities and development as appropriate. Where this is not possible with a Participant’s current employer, an additional job would be appropriate. A Participant’s second job should not be recorded as a Job Start. Supported Employment should encourage the career development of individuals by promoting training opportunities and seeking options for increased responsibility.

If it becomes apparent that a job is not suitable, the Participant can leave the job. If they wish to remain on the programme, Stage 2 – Vocational Profiling, Stage 3 – Engaging Employers and/or Stage 4 – Job Matching may be revisited in order to seek a new suitable job for the Participant.

Annex B: DRAFT Jobcentre Eligibility Check

SECTION A – TO BE COMPLETED BY LOCAL AUTHORITY

LA name………………………………………………………………..

LA contact email ……………………………………………………

LA phone number……………………………………………………

Local authority (LA) - Please insert the name and National Insurance number (NINo) of the Local Supported Employment (LSE) potential Participant.

LSE potential Participant name LSE potential Participant NINo
   

Signed for and on behalf of the local authority by ………………………………………………………………………..

Name of representative of local authority who has completed Section A ………………………………………………………………………..

Date …………………………………………………………………

SECTION B – TO BE COMPLETED BY JOBCENTRE Single Point of Contact (“SPOC”)

Please select from the following options to confirm whether or not the potential Participant identified in Section A is eligible to be a Participant in this LSE Initiative. To be eligible the potential Participant must not be participating in any other form of DWP contracted employment provision or programme.

Potential Participant eligible?

Yes ☐ No ☐

If ‘No’ Please complete the below where the potential Participant’s circumstances may change within 6 months:
  It is suggested that the local authority check eligibility of the potential Participant named in Section A again in the timeframe indicated below.

* Check eligibility again in xxx weeks’/months’ time

Signature ………………………………………………………………………

Signed for and on behalf of the Jobcentre SPOC by ………………………………………………………………………

Name of representative of Jobcentre who has completed Section B ………………………………………………………………………

Date ……………………………………………………………….

The Jobcentre SPOC will aim to complete and return Section B of this Eligibility Check Template to the local authority within three working days of receiving it with a completed Section A from the local authority.

Annex C: DRAFT Participant Agreement Template

Participant agreement template

The purpose of this Participant Agreement Template is to facilitate the sharing of data relating to LSE potential Participants and Participants between the Grant Recipient, Jobcentre Plus and the Department for Work and Pensions for the purpose of checking eligibility for the Local Supported Employment (LSE) Initiative and for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the LSE Initiative.

  • [Name of Grant Recipient] is working with eligible LSE Participants in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help these LSE Participants to find and keep work

  • [Grant Recipient] will ask Jobcentre Plus to confirm if, you as a potential Participant, are eligible to be a Participant for the LSE Initiative. For this purpose the [Grant Recipient] will provide Jobcentre Plus with your name and National Insurance number. Jobcentre Plus will check:
    • whether you are already taking part in any other DWP contracted employment programme or provision [that is funded or supported by DWP]

  • As a potential Participant your personal data will be retained by [insert Grant Recipient] for [X amount of time for X reasons as per Grant Recipient’s retention policy}, after which it will be deleted

  • As a Participant your personal data will be retained by [insert Grant Recipient] for [X amount of time for X reasons as per Grant Recipient’s s retention policy}, after which it will be deleted

  • DWP will store your information securely for audit purposes.

Participant name…………………………………………. (Please print name in full)

  • I give consent for [Grant Recipient], to share personal data about me with Jobcentre Plus for the purposes described above.

I confirm that:

  • I have read the information above and understand why personal data about me is being shared and the purposes for which personal data about me will be used.

I understand that:

  • If I am in receipt of any benefits, my entitlement to these benefits will not depend on whether I choose to give the consent referred to above.

  • I can withdraw my consent at any time by writing to [Grant Recipient contact]

  • Signature of potential Participant /Participant of LSE

………………………………

  • Date…………………………………….

  • Name …………………………………. (Please print name in full)

  • [Name of Grant Recipient] is working with eligible LSE Participants in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help these LSE Participants to find and keep work

  • If you become a Participant then as a Participant, your name and contact information will be shared with the DWP research team who will invite you to take part in a survey/evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of the LSE Initiative

  • DWP will store your information securely for audit purposes

Participant name…………………………………………. (Please print name in full)

  • I give consent for [Grant Recipient], to share personal data about me with DWP for the purposes described above.

I confirm that:

  • I have read the information above and understand why personal data about me is being shared and the purposes for which personal data about me will be used

I understand that:

  • If I am in receipt of any benefits, my entitlement to these benefits will not depend on whether I choose to give the consent referred to above

  • I can withdraw my consent at any time by writing to [Grant Recipient contact]

  • My placement on any programme with [Grant Recipient] and any employment or future offer of employment will not depend on whether I choose to give consent or not

  • Signature of potential Participant /Participant of LSE

………………………………

  • Date…………………………………….

  • Name …………………………………. (Please print name in full)

13. Appendix List

Appendix A – Grant Application Instructions

Provided as a separate document

Appendix B – Grant Application Template

Provided as separate document

Appendix C – Profile Template

Provided as separate document

Appendix D – Monthly MI Template

Provided as a separate document

Glossary of terms

Term Description
Action Plan A detailed plan outlining actions/steps that a Participant must take while participating in the Initiative.
Activity Delivery Partner A third-party partner instructed by a Grant Recipient to carry out any part of the LSE provision on behalf of the Grant Recipient.
Activity Delivery Period The 29-month period during which local authorities are actively recruiting and supporting Participants into employment (3 October 2022 to 31 March 2025.)
Adult Social Care Adult Social Care services or support refers to a varied range of services provided to Individuals depending on their similarly diverse range of needs, from short term support after a hospital stay through to long-term support requirements. Autistic people and people with learning disabilities, or both (amongst others), are the Social Care’s key demographic. Local Authorities are responsible for managing social care services in their respective localities.
Assessment Action Plan An action plan developed between Fidelity assessor and the Grant Recipient/ Activity Delivery Partner based on the outcome of the Fidelity Assessment and updated monthly throughout the Funding Period.
Cluster A group of persons acting together for the purposes of applying for, receiving the Grant and carrying out the Funded Activities.
Cluster Member A member of the Cluster other than the Grant Recipient.
DWP Department for Work and Pensions.
Eligibility Check A jobcentre eligibility check for each proposed Participant to confirm that the proposed Participant is not already enrolled on another DWP programme or provision and therefore meets that eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Check Template The template that Grant Recipients should use for the purpose of requesting Jobcentre Eligibility Checks, as set out in Annex B to this Guidance.
Expenditure Return The quarterly return required from Grant Recipients which will set out spend and costs for the relevant quarter (forms part of the management information template).
Fidelity Assessment Assessment of adherence by Grant Recipients to the shortened version of the Supported Employment Quality Framework.
Funded Activities The activities described in paragraphs 19 to 31 and 77 of this Guidance.
Funding Period The period for which the Grant is awarded starting on the date on which the Grant Funding Agreement comes into effect and ending on 31 March 2025.
Going Rate of Pay Paid at least the minimum hourly rate for the Participant’s age group (relevant rates can be found on www.gov.uk).
Grant Application The application for funding via a Grant submitted by an LA, to be in the form set out in Appendix B.
Grant Funding Agreement The grant funding agreement to be entered into by DWP and the Grant Recipient (if the Grant Recipient’s application is successful), comprising the Grant Funding Letter and the grant funding conditions.
Grant Funding Letter The grant funding letter confirming that the Grant Recipient has been successful in its application for the Grant.
Grant Recipient Match Funding The minimum contribution to the Funded Activities the Grant Recipient (or a Cluster Member) is to make in accordance with this Guidance in order to support the Eligible Expenditure.
Guidance This Local Supported Employment Initiative Local Authority Guidance.
Implementation Period The 3-month period assigned to activity to prepare for delivery of LSE Initiative, for example, recruitment and marketing (1 August 2022 to 31 October 2022).
Individual Refers to any person who is a prospective/potential participant but has not yet completed the eligibility/enrollment process.
Instalment Period The intervals set out in the payment schedule within the Grant Funding Letter when the DWP will release payment of the Grant to the Grant Recipient during the Funding Period.
Job Starts A Participant accepting a paid job offer and starting employment or self-employment.
LA Local authority.
Local Supported Employment / LSE or Initiative The provision of Supported Employment in accordance with this Guidance and funded by this Grant.
MI Management information.
OFSTED Office for Standards in Education.
Participant A person who meets the eligibility criteria for LSE and agrees to participate on the Initiative.
Participant Support Phase The last 10 months of the Activity Delivery Period during which no further Starts On Provision will be allowed, and the Grant Recipient will be providing support to existing Participants.
Payment Model The profile and proportion by which the Grant will be paid to Grant Recipients.
Place, Train and Maintain Approach An approach that places people in work at the earliest opportunity, trains them to do the job in the way the employer wants it done and provides ongoing support to maintain them in the job.
PoC Proof of concept.
Provision Payment 30% of total funding, a payment based upon Starts On Provision and paid in arrears following the reporting for each Instalment Period, as calculated and payable in accordance with paragraphs 46 to 49 below.
Recruitment Phase The first 19 months of the Activity Delivery Period, during which Grant Recipients will be seeking to identify potential Participants, establishing eligibility and supporting Participants in their job search and into employment.
Regular Payment Instalment period payments by DWP to the Grant Recipient calculated as set out in paragraph 45 and paid in arrears during the following instalment period in a linear profile throughout the Initiative.
REL Regional Engagement Lead.
Remedial Action Plan Defined in the Grant Funding Agreement.
Replacement Care Costs Financial assistance (from the Grant’s Eligible Expenditure) which may be provided when an Individual who is a carer is undertaking an LSE Funded activity, and therefore cannot fulfil their caring responsibilities.
SEQF The shortened version of the Supported Employment Quality Framework set out at the following website: Model Fidelity (SEQF)
SPOC Single point of contact.
Start On Provision The first meeting with a potential Participant following confirmation of eligibility, where they agree to become a Participant.
Supported Employment Supported Employment was developed in the United States in the 1970s and covers any service that helps people with disabilities obtain and maintain paid employment.
5 Stage Supported Employment Model The model of Supported Employment that LAs should adhere to for LSE including Participant Engagement, Vocational Profiling, Job Finding, Employer Engagement, In Work Support., as described in more detail at Annex A.
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