Work Programme is putting charities' futures at risk, warn sector bodies 2

Finance | Vibeka Mair | 17 Jan 2012

NCVO and the Employment Related Services Association have warned that the sustainability of charities involved in the Work Programme is under threat, as they are not being adequately shielded from financial risk or getting enough referrals.

NCVO surveyed over 100 voluntary sector subcontractors on the Work Programme. Some 79 per cent said that their prime contractor was not shielding them from financial risk at all.

In response, NCVO’s special interest group for Work Programme sub-contractors is to meet employment minister Chris Grayling today to air the concerns.

The survey also found a lack of faith in the Merlin Standard, a code of conduct for ensuring that subcontractors are treated fairly by their prime contractor partners. Seventy-one per cent said that they did not think the Standard is adequately regulating prime contractor behaviour (39 per cent answered ‘not at all’, 32 per cent ‘not really’).

Many subcontractors have also fed back that they are not satisfied with the level of Work Programme referrals they have received from their prime contractor. Fifty-eight per cent of Tier 1 Providers and 72 per cent of Tier 2 Providers said they were not at all satisfied with the current level of referrals.

The voluntary sector typically supports Employment Support Allowance (ESA) clients, who often have specialist needs. However, the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA), a trade body for the welfare-to-work industry, believes that only 3-5 per cent of referrals on the Work Programme are ESA customers.

Delays are thought to be due to a delay by government contractor, Atos, in carrying out Work Capability Assessments and a much lower-than-expected level of referrals of ESA customers by Jobcentre Plus.

It was estimated that between 20 and 25 per cent of referrals to the Work Programme would be customers in receipt of ESA.

ERSA is calling on government to take urgent action to increase the number of referrals of customers on Employment Support Allowance to the Work Programme.

Kirsty McHugh, ERSA chief executive, commented: "It is extremely worrying that, six months into the Work Programme, providers are still not seeing the predicted number of Employment Support Allowance customers on their books.

"These are the people who need the most support and it is unacceptable that, to date, too few of them have been able to access specialist Work Programme employment services.

"This failure to refer customers also has important knock-on effects on voluntary sector subcontractors to the Work Programme, many of whom disproportionately offer the type of specialist employment support these customers need. Many charity employment specialists will have been banking on a greater flow of customers, putting them under increasing financial pressure."

A Freedom of Information request in September 2011 indicated that Atos has completed 56,000 Work Capability Assessments since the commencement of the national roll out. This is against an expected figure of 11,000 cases being assessed each week.

Directory: National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)

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Catherine
24 Jan 2012

The reason charities may not be getting many ESA referrals is that people who are seriously sick or disabled and often unable to even get to a Work Programme interview are being wrongly assessed by Atos. The Work Capability Assessment used to assess ESA claims is not fit for purpose in assessing capability for work. A high proportion of those referred to the Work Programme are winning their appeals to be placed in the ESA Support Group, because they are too ill or disabled to undertake work related activity. The Government's mantra of "enabling" the long-term sick to get back to work is a fig-leaf for shameful cuts that leave the most vulnerable among us destitute and desperate.

[Reply]

PB
slave
nunya
21 Jan 2012

What the hell has the work programme (slave labour) have to do with putting charities at risk? a charity is a charity people volunteer, people on the work programme aren't even classed as volunteers they are treated like 3rd class citizens ive had a taste of this programme and seen how people are treated and demoralised. Working for nothing for 6 months, 30 hours a week and being treated like garbage is the biggest disincentive to work ever! I've seen how these so called "charities" work now, most of these "charities" are not charities at all, maybe some of the proceeds go to charity but most of it goes to the people in suits who are milking the gullible british public and their donations for all they can get. Its time these "charities" were outed for what they really are. What charities are there for families who have had their already pitiful benefits sanctioned for 6 months? or in some cases 1yr for not agreeing to work like a slave in one of your so called "charities" work houses for the equivalent of £2 an hour. I'm disgusted by it, I have first hand experience and anyone involved with this should be ashamed.

[Reply]

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