Guidance

October 2017: Touchbase edition 122

Updated 9 March 2020

1. Welcome

This month’s Touchbase sets out information on DWP’s workplace pension campaign which advises employees on how new legislation affects them and the legal duties that apply to employers. We also highlight how many pensioners are missing out on Pension Credit and signpost how to make a claim.

This edition also includes information on:

• Freephone DWP customer phone lines
• Universal Credit advances
• the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) health and work conversation
• support for disengaged youth
• the Race Disparity Audit
• Work and Health Programme providers

We always welcome your feedback. Please send your comments and thoughts about Touchbase, including what articles and information you would like to see to corporate.stakeholders@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.

2. DWP customer phone lines to become Freephone

Universal Credit customer telephone lines will become Freephone in November.

DWP will inform customers and partners of new Freephone numbers in advance of these changes.

Freephone numbers will be rolled out to all remaining DWP customer phone services by the end of the year.

3. Universal Credit advances

A claimant can ask for an advance of their Universal Credit payment if they will face financial hardship while waiting for their claim to be processed. This includes if they can’t afford to pay rent or buy food.

A claimant will need to pay back an advance a bit at a time from future Universal Credit payments.

4. Get to know your pension

This month DWP launched its workplace pension campaign.

Since 2012 more than 8.7 million people have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by over 800,000 employers. The campaign:

• builds on previous communication around automatic enrolment
• underscores the benefits of workplace pensions to employees
• offers continued support to help remaining employers comply with the law

Workplace pension adverts can now be seen on television and online, as well as on bus stops and billboards around the UK.

5. Unclaimed Pension Credit

Pension Credit is a non-taxable income-related benefit. It tops up pensioners’ weekly income if it’s below £159.35 (for single people) or £243.25 (for couples).

In 2015/16 more than £6 billion in Pension Credit was claimed by people on low incomes to help cover their basic costs of living.

However, official figures released last month reveal that 4 in 10 pensioners could be missing out. More than £3.3 billion was unclaimed in 2015/16, an average annual amount of £2,000 for each entitled family which does not claim.

6. ESA health and work conversation national roll-out completed

The ESA health and work conversation (HWC) is a mandatory work focussed interview that takes place around 4 weeks after a person makes an ESA claim (unless an exemption applies). The HWC focuses on what individuals can do to move closer to work, while managing their health condition. During the HWC, the claimant will:

• identify steps and agree a voluntary action plan to help them move closer to the labour market
• agree with their work coach any follow up support required

HWC is a key opportunity to:

• engage at an early stage with new ESA claimants and understand their barriers to work
• discuss the support required to meet a claimant’s personal needs

7. Street League – support for disengaged youth

Jobcentres work in a non-contracted operational partnership with Street League, which operates in 14 cities and 36 local communities across England and Scotland.

Street League is transforming the lives of disengaged young people by:

• giving them the opportunity to feel part of something
• helping them to work on social skills
• improving their physical and mental health

Street League’s award-winning programmes support unemployed 16-24 year olds, and help them move into sustained employment, education and training. Participants can acquire nationally recognised qualifications as well as improve their interview techniques. They also gain work experience, and build their employability skills.

8. Race Disparity Audit publication

On 10 October the cross-government Race Disparity Audit was published alongside a new Ethnicity Facts and Figures website. The website gathers data by ethnicity over a range of topics, such as:

• employment
• health
• education

DWP welcomes the audit and is committed to acting on the findings, for example by implementing initiatives such as targeted support in hotspot areas.

9. Providers announced for the Work and Health Programme

The Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work, Penny Mordaunt, has announced the 6 providers for the new Work and Health Programme.

Area	Successful provider
Central England	Shaw Trust
North East	Reed In Partnership
North West	Ingeus
Southern	Pluss
Home Counties	Shaw Trust
Wales	Remploy

Local government partners in London and Greater Manchester have been given funding under devolution deals and are selecting their own providers.

In Scotland, funding for employment programmes for unemployed and disabled people was devolved in line with the Scotland Act.

The Work and Health Programme is not available in Northern Ireland.

10. News round-up

Clampdown on child maintenance cheats

Government announces plans for disclosure of pension costs and charges

Supported housing update

Update on the future of DWP jobcentres

Unemployment remains at lowest rate since 1975

Sir Robert Devereux plans to retire as DWP Permanent Secretary in January

Next phase in rollout of Universal Credit confirmed