Statutory guidance

Annex 7: Provision timeline

Updated 6 March 2023

The following paragraphs describe the various stages of the timeline for ESF 2014- 2020 provision. A7.1 Contract award date – this is the date DWP advise a provider that they have been successful with their tender following ministerial approval.

A7.2 Contract Commencement date means the date from when the contract becomes legally binding (i.e. the date the contract is signed by both parties following award of the contract) which shall be the date of contract.

A7.3 Commencement period – this is the period between the contract commencement date and the service start date when the provider is getting ready to deliver the provision. This is effectively the implementation period.

A7.4 Service start date means the date from which the provider shall start delivering provision once it has implemented the Implementation Plan to the sole satisfaction of the DWP.

A7.5 Provision period – this is a period of 3 years starting from the service start sate where participants receive the Services as defined in the specification.

A7.6 First referral form submitted – the date the first, prospective participant’s completed ESF1420 referral form is sent by the provider to DWP for confirmation checks. DWP will confirm that the participant can begin provision by inputting a referral onto PRaP. Completed ESF1420 referral forms can only be accepted from the service start date.

A7.7 First referral date – this is the date when DWP creates the referral on PRaP.

A7.8 Last participant referral date – the date the last referral can be acknowledged by the provider on PRaP. During the second year of the provision period, DWP and the provider will discuss the provision performance and DWP will decide if referrals can continue into the third year and what the cut off date will be.

A7.9 First participant start date on the provision - this is the date the first participant’s initial action plan is agreed and signed by the both provider and

the first participant. This start date must be recorded in PRaP by the provider.

A7.10 First participant end date on the provision – this is 52 Weeks (with the exception of London Troubled Families which is 65 weeks duration) after the first participant start date on the provision (unless they complete early – as defined in the specification and Chapter 5 of this guidance).

A7.11 Last participant start date on the provision - The date the last participant starts on provision, this will be no later than 40 days after the last referral.

A7.12 Last participant end date on the provision – this is 3 years from the pervice start date.

A7.13 Four week tracking period – this is a 4 week period after a participant completes their maximum provision duration. This includes participants who have been referred in the 3rd year and completed the reduced defined provision duration as they are defined as completers. The tracking period does not apply to those participants defined as ‘early completers’.

A7.14 The provider will be able to claim a sustained job outcome payment for a participant without a short job outcome having been achieved or claimed (for the same participant) ‘where the initial* job starts within the provision duration or 4 week tracking period’. *initial job start = The start date of the first job that contributes to job outcomes in the cumulative period.

A7.15 The final date at which any outcome claims can be made is 64 weeks after the end of the 3rd year of Provision period (i.e. service start date + 3 years provision period + 4 week tracking + 52 weeks + 8 weeks).

A7.16 First and last payment of delivery fees – The delivery fee will be paid monthly in arrears; there will be 24 equal instalments commencing one calendar month after the service start date.

A7.17 Final job outcome payments date – this is the date by which all valid job Outcomes should have been paid and should be no later than 30 calendar days after the final date at which any outcome claims can be made by the provider.

A7.18 In-work support can be delivered for periods of employment which fall within the participant’s provision duration. It can be delivered from the date the participant starts employment until they either complete provision early or complete their maximum provision duration.

A7.19 There is no obligation for IWS to be delivered after the provision cessation date.

A7.20 Provision cessation date means the date three years after the service start date.

A7.21 Payment Tail Period means the period of 64 weeks starting immediately after the provision cessation Date.

A7.22 Run off period means the period between the end of the payment tail period and the date on which the provider has fulfilled all of its obligations under the contract.

A7.23 Further explanations:

• Referrals will be for the first 2 years of the provision period. DWP will discuss with the providers and decide if referrals can continue into the third year of the provision period.
• A participant can start on the provision from the service start date.
• All participants must end the provision by the end of the provision period. It is understood that where referrals have continued into the third year of the provision period, some participants will have a reduced defined duration on the provision.