DWP releases first Work Programme data 3

Finance | Vibeka Mair | 21 Feb 2012

NCVO has expressed disappointment that the first release of official data from the Work Programme does not include data on referrals to the voluntary sector.

The data, released by the Department for Work and Pensions today, provides details on the types of referrals on the Work Programme, but not who customers are being referred to.

It finds that from June 2011 to October 2011, 93.9 per cent of referrals on the Work Programme were jobseekers’ allowance claimants, while employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants made up only 5.5 per cent of referrals.

ESA claimants, who often have special needs, are traditionally associated with the voluntary sector.

Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said this reinforced the fears expressed by its special interest group that this group is being deprived of support from charities.

Sir Stuart added: "It is disappointing that the referrals data does not drill down further than prime contractor level.

"We have heard worrying evidence of voluntary sector subcontractors receiving very low levels of referrals, so more thorough data could have really helped to pinpoint whether the sector’s degree of involvement in the Work Programme tallies with previous assurances made by government."

The Employment Related Services Association, a trade body for the welfare-to-work industry, is calling on the government to take action to increase the flow of ESA jobseekers.

Directory: National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
Who's Who: Sir Stuart Etherington

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Neil Doran
Chief Executive
The Well Being of ESA Claimants
21 Feb 2012

It would seem charities are whinging yet again. They pay their executives huge salaries but still want FREE labour to do the work on the front line. This government backed and inspired Work Programme is a gift of "slave labour" to the charities. They're naturally annoyed that so few people are being refered to them by the Work Programme because, let's face it, young "job-seekers" would not want to waste their time with charities, and older people on ESA are not fit or well enough to give their labour free to these charities. People in receipt of ESA are too ill to work. The charities do not care who is refered to them. They certainly do not care about the health of people on ESA. A case of charities showing their hard business nose rather than a caring face.

[Reply]

Catherine
21 Feb 2012

The new Work Capability Assessment used to award ESA is so hard to pass that in order to qualify for ESA in the first place a claimant must be very sick or disabled.

One reason that charities may not be getting enough ESA referrals is that ESA claimants are simply too sick or disabled to attend work focussed interviews.

[Reply]

Peter
21 Feb 2012

What a surprise, DWP systems in JobCentrePlus do not even recognise the voluntary sector as a job search and registration entry, advisors have no knowledge of the sector and as a result ignoring career development opportunities and systematicllay depriving the sector from talent!

[Reply]

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