Research and analysis

Employment and Support Allowance trials 2015

These reports evaluate the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) additional support trials which took place in 2015.

Documents

The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@dwp.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis of qualitative research with work coaches

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@dwp.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis of qualitative research with claimants

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@dwp.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Summary: The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis of qualitative research with claimants

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@dwp.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

These reports evaluate trials of 3 forms of additional support for ESA claimants. The additional support included:

  • voluntary early intervention
  • the Claimant Commitment
  • more intensive support

The additional support aimed to help claimants progress towards the labour market. The trials were launched in spring 2015 as part of a wider package of ESA reforms.

To fulfil a commitment to evaluate the support offered in the trials, we carried out:

  • quantitative analysis of the trial interventions and their impacts
  • qualitative research with work coaches and claimants

The research and analysis helps us to understand:

  • whether the trials helped claimants move into work
  • what aspects of the trials were most effective, and for whom
  • the nature of the support
  • staff and claimant experiences of, and perspectives on, the trials
  • intermediate outcomes for claimants such as changes to attitude, self-efficacy, motivation and behaviours towards jobseeking
  • the level of demand for health-related advice and physiotherapy services

The research and analysis supports our strategic objectives of increasing disability employment and tailoring support in a more integrated and personalised manner.

Authors

The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis

Martin Moran (Department for Work and Pensions (DWP))

The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis of qualitative research with work coaches

Clare Lyne, Morgan Draper and Jo Whateley (DWP)

The 2015 ESA trials: a synthesis of qualitative research with claimants

Becci Newton (Institute for Employment Studies) and Roy Sainsbury (Social Policy Research Unit, University of York)

Updates to this page

Published 2 August 2017

Sign up for emails or print this page