Guidance

Chapter 11: Programme completers and early exits

Updated 1 April 2020

This guidance was withdrawn on 14 April 2022

This guidance is no longer current and is not being updated. Find the latest Work and Health Programme (including JETS) provider guidance.

High level must dos

1. Participant completes the Work and Health Programme

2. Provider completes Exit Report with the Participant

3. Jobcentre Plus requests Exit Report

4. Provider returns Exit Report to Jobcentre Plus

or

1. Participant completes the Work and Health Programme

2. Provider completes Exit Report with the Participant

3. Provider submits ESF14-20m End form to DWP (England only)

Participant completes the Work and Health Programme (WHP)

1. You are required to complete an Exit Report for all completers of the WHP listed below:

• Participants who complete 456 calendar days on the WHP
• Participants who complete 639 calendar days on the WHP following in work support
• early completers of the WHP

2. You will not be required to complete an Exit Report in the following exceptional circumstances:

• Participants who move abroad, permanently, for a period at least longer than the remaining time on the programme
• Participants who are diagnosed with a terminal illness
• Participants who become deceased during time on programme

Provider completes Exit Report with the Participant

3. You must complete all Exit Reports with the Participant face to face, obtaining a signature following completion of the WHP. This must be done promptly to ensure Jobcentre Plus can conduct a completer interview within 15 days of completion of WHP.

Please note

LTU Participants cannot be mandated to undertake this activity as any mandatory participation requirements cease on completion of the WHP.

4. The Participant should sign and be issued a copy of the Exit Report. If you are not able to obtain a signature see paragraph 14 .

Actions

• identify Participants due to complete the WHP and arrange to see them
• arrange an interview with the Participant to complete the Exit Report
• complete the Exit Report following the end of provision for all Participants referenced in paragraph 1 obtaining a signature

Jobcentre Plus requests Exit Report

5. Jobcentre Plus will request Exit Reports they wish to see when Participants complete the programme. Requests will be sent weekly by unencrypted email using a WHPERE2 template.

6. You must await the request from Jobcentre Plus before returning an Exit Report, as they will not need to see one for every Participant who completes the WHP.

Actions

• monitor your centralised inbox regularly for incoming requests from Jobcentre Plus

Provider returns Exit Report to Jobcentre Plus

7. All Exit Reports requested must be sent to Jobcentre Plus within 10 working days of the request being made. Day 1 will be the date the request is made by Jobcentre Plus.

8. You must only send Exit Reports that have been requested by Jobcentre Plus.

Actions

• locate the completed Exit Reports for the Participants stated on the WHPER2E template
• send the Exit Report to Jobcentre Plus via unencrypted email within 10 working days of the request being received

Consequence

The 10 day return of the Exit Report forms part of your Tender Customer Service Standards and will be checked during the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Compliance Monitoring Officer (CMO) process.

Failure to meet these standards may result in you failing the CMO check.

Background

9. Further detail is provided in the Detailed background and further information section.

Provider submits ESF14-20m End form to DWP (England Only)

10. Where a Participant completes the WHP, there are additional steps for you to take to satisfy your European Social Fund (ESF) requirements.

11. It is a key requirement that you notify results for Participants who complete Programme. This is via completion and return of the ESF14-20m End form.

12. The ESF 14-20m End form notifies of a Participant’s status within 4 weeks of programme completion.

Actions

• complete ESF 14-20m End Form within 4 weeks of the WHP completion
• send completed ESF 14-20m End Form to the DWP ESF Admin Team via un-encrypted email
• ensure you have a final action plan for each completer for the WHP. For the purposes of this programme the final action plan is the Exit Report

13. Further detail can be found in the Detailed background and further information section.

Failure to attend meeting

14. Where you are unable to complete the Exit Report face to face with the Participant or obtain a signature, for example they refuse or fail to attend, you must complete the Exit Report and include reasons.

15. You must record that the Exit Report was not completed with the Participant present, and include the reasons for their failure to attend where known.

16. Where you are unable to issue a copy of the Exit Report face to face, you should contact the Participant to make them aware an Exit Report has been completed and provide them with the opportunity to arrange for a copy to be collected, emailed or posted to them.

Detailed background and further information

Participant completes the WHP

17. Participants will complete the WHP in the following circumstances:

Participant reaches 456 days on programme

18. Participation on the programme will end at 456 calendar days, where a Participant has not reached the earnings threshold or a self-employment claim has not been paid.

19. Provider Referral and Payment (PRaP) will automatically calculate the end date for a Participant for 456 calendar days, based on the start date you input following initial engagement. The line will automatically close in PRaP.

Participant completes after a period of in work support

20. Where a Participant is in work when they reach 456 days on programme, but has not yet met the earnings threshold or a self-employment claim has not been paid, you can opt to give them in work support and extend their participation for an additional 182 days (6 months). This will give the Participant a maximum time on programme of 639 calendar days. This extension must be input into PRAP before day 456.

21. Between day 456 and day 639 you can manually end the Participant on the programme in PRaP using the early completer reasons described at paragraphs 31 – 37, otherwise it will automatically end at 639 days

22. Where you choose to extend a Participant’s time on programme, the final day of the extension will be their new completion date

Participant falls out of work during extension

23. Where a Participant falls out of work during the extension, they will complete the programme and return to Jobcentre Plus for further support.

24. You should access PRaP, navigate to the Extension/Completion area and select the report for completion tick box and click save to end their extension period and time on programme.

25. The last date of employment will be their new completion date.

Early completers of the WHP

26. An early completer is someone whose time on the WHP ends before the 456 calendar days’ time on the programme is reached.

27. A Participant will complete the WHP early in the following circumstance:

Participant reaches earnings threshold or self-employed claim fully validated

28. Where a Participant obtains employment and reaches the earnings threshold, or a self-employed claim is fully validated, they will complete the programme.

29. When the final outcome payment in respect of the Participant has been made by DWP to you, the line will automatically close in PRaP.

30. Participants may also complete the WHP early in exceptional circumstances, which would result in the programme no longer being appropriate:

Participant moves abroad

31. When a Participant moves abroad, permanently, for a period of at least longer than the remaining time on the programme, they will complete the WHP.

32. You should enter the date and completer reason ‘46 – Exceptional circumstances’ into PRAP to end their time on programme.

Participant is diagnosed with a terminal illness

33. Participants diagnosed with a terminal illness will have the choice to remain on the programme if they wish.

34. In this case, if the Participant had initially been referred on a mandatory basis, their attendance will become voluntary.

35. If you are notified by Jobcentre Plus that they no longer wish to take part in the programme (via a change of circumstances form), you should enter the date and completer reason ’46 – Exceptional circumstances’ into PRaP to end their time on programme.

Participant death

36. If you are notified by Jobcentre Plus of a Participant death, you should enter the end date and completer reason ‘43 – Customer deceased’ into PRAP to end their time on programme.

37. The end date entered must be their actual date of death and not the date that the notification of the Participants death was received. Further information can be found in Work and Health Programme Provider Guidance Chapter 10 – Change of circumstances and notifications.

Provider completes Exit Report with the Participant

The purpose of the Exit Report

38. The Exit Report you send to Jobcentre Plus will be a key tool used to determine the most appropriate type of support for Participants upon their return.

39. Jobcentre Plus work coaches will use the Exit Reports you produce to: * build a profile of the Participant following their experience on the WHP * understand the level of support the Participant may require following the WHP.

40. A standard Exit Report template has been supplied by DWP which can be used for this purpose. If you choose to use your own version of the Exit Report template, you must ensure this has been approved by DWP prior to use.

Completing the Exit Report

41. The Exit Report must as a minimum include the following factual information:

• Participant surname
• Participant National Insurance number (NINO)
• summary – actions undertaken, including activities such as work, training or work experience the Participant has completed and any qualifications or skills achieved
• the period or periods that any work experience or employment covered or not completed and any reasons why actions were not completed
• next steps – your recommendations to Jobcentre Plus on the most appropriate next steps for the Participant

42. The Exit Report should include meaningful and personalised information which will provide Jobcentre Plus with additional information and an insight to the Participant’s journey on the WHP. The Exit Report must contain at least 500 words written by the Participant’s personal adviser.

43. The Exit Report may also include for example:

• summary – how the Participant benefited from the WHP, and the progress against the activities undertaken by the Participant whilst on the WHP
• employability – your opinion on the Participants employment prospects, the type of employment which might be appropriate
• next steps – your recommendations to Jobcentre Plus on the most appropriate next steps for the Participant

44. Unless you have the Participant’s explicit consent, sensitive personal data should not be included in the Exit Report.

45. In exceptional circumstances, for example where the Participant has not engaged during most of their time on programme, the Participant’s personal adviser may not be able to complete 500 words. This is acceptable in these circumstances, however you must still provide meaningful information in addition to the information contained at paragraph 41, to enable Jobcentre Plus to plan next steps with the Participant.

46. The Exit Report must be signed by you and the Participant where you are not able to do this you must record the reasons on the Exit Report detailing why the Participant has not signed the form.

47. You must comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements when processing Exit Reports, as you must throughout your provision of the Services.

48. You may make arrangements for the Exit Report to be collected, emailed or posted to the Participant, where you are unable to issue it face to face. Before emailing or posting the Exit Report you must ensure the Participant is aware of the risks of sending personal information to them via email or post. Where you are unable to inform them of this risk you must ensure no sensitive personal data is sent.

Jobcentre Plus requests Exit Report

49. Jobcentre Plus will only request Exit Reports where a work coach has determined it to be appropriate.

50. The request will be made using a WHPER2E form, via unencrypted email. Each form should contain no more than 40 Participant records and will contain the following information for each:

• NINO
• Jobcentre Plus Office
• request date
• report return deadline
• benefit type
• end date
• return email address

51. The WHPER2E form will be sent weekly via unencrypted email for Participants who have already completed the WHP.

52. The WHPER2E form will inform you of the WHP completion date and the deadline for receipt of the Exit Report.

53. Jobcentre Plus may send more than one WHPER2E form, however they should only attach one form per email and will set a read receipt.

54. The email will contain the header ‘Work and Health Programme Exit Report Request.’

55. Jobcentre Plus will record the date of request of the Exit Report for each Participant.

56. On receipt you should accept the read receipt.

57. You may receive an Exit Report request from Jobcentre Plus for a Participant outside of your Contract Package Area (CPA) who you have been supporting. These requests should be actioned in the same way as for Participants in your CPA.

Provider returns Exit Report to Jobcentre Plus

58. On receipt of the request, you should locate the Exit Report for each Participant and return to the Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox via unencrypted email.

59. You must return only one Exit Report per email to the Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox.

60. You must return the Exit Report to the Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox. This will be stated on the WHPER2E form.

61. When emailing the Exit Report, you should ensure the subject field contains only the term ‘Exit Report – (Participant surname)’ and the last 3 digits of the NINO.

62. You must return the Exit Report to the Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox within 10 days of the request being made by Jobcentre Plus.

63. If your sub-contractors complete an Exit Report they may email the Exit Report back to the Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox. All Exit Reports must be returned to Jobcentre Plus via the designated provider Single Point of Contact (SPoC) email address. It is your responsibility to ensure all Exit Reports are received on time and to the quality expected.

Please Note

Providers have overall responsibility for their sub-contractors following this process and for the quality of information included in the Exit Reports.

Jobcentre Plus receive Exit Report

64. On receipt of the Exit Report, Jobcentre Plus will check if the Participant stated on the Exit Report is within their District. If an error has been identified by the Jobcentre Plus District SPoC or you identify that you have sent the Exit Report to the wrong district, either party must contact the other by phone.

65. When an agreement is reached that an Exit Report has been sent to the wrong Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox, they will delete the Exit Report from their systems. The provider SPoC will email the Exit Report to the correct Jobcentre Plus centralised district inbox. The provider SPoC must keep a record of the actions taken for 3 months purposes and report the incident to DWP security as per Generic Provider Guidance Chapter 8 – Information Security.

66. Jobcentre Plus will record the date of return of the Exit Report for each Participant.

Ad hoc Exit Report requests

67. Jobcentre Plus may request ad hoc Exit Report for Participants who have completed the WHP and subsequently return to Jobcentre Plus, where they feel the Exit Report may inform further support.

68. These requests will be made on the WHPER2E form.

Provider submits ESF14-20m End form to DWP (England only)

69. You must report the Labour Market Status for all Participants that complete provision and also where it is established that the Participant has gained basic skills or a qualification whilst on provision or moved into education or training. The ESF14-20m End form notifies of a Participant’s status within 4 weeks of programme completion.

70. Where you are unable to ascertain the latest status of a Participant, the ESF14-20 End form should be completed with their last known status details. All attempts made to contact the Participant and confirm their status 4 weeks after completing the programme should be clearly annotated on the Action Plan and sent to the DWP ESF Admin Team within 8 weeks of their completion date.

71. In exceptional circumstances where you cannot meet the 8 week deadline or it comes to light at a future date that an ESF14-20m End form hasn’t been sent for whatever reason, you are still required to complete the form and return it as soon as possible.

Please Note

If this does happen, the Department may ask for the reasons why you have not been able to meet this deadline.

72. If a Participant’s representative notifies you that the Participant has died, you are not required to submit an ESF14-20m End Form but record details of the notification on your system.

73. For step-by-step guidance to completing the ESF14-20 forms please see Generic Provider Guidance Chapter 11b - European Social Fund Requirements (ESF) 2014 - 2020 (England Only).

74. The ESF14-20m End form must be sent to the DWP ESF Admin team via unencrypted email once fully completed. You must send this, one Participant record per time.

75. When emailing the completed ESF14-20m End form to DWP, annotate the subject field with the following wording “ESF 1420 Export End Form”

76. Results information must be securely submitted to DWP. Information sent as part of this process is sensitive personal data within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and handling, processing and transmission rules apply.

77. You must adhere to ESF requirements on document retention when undertaking this activity. Further information regarding ESF requirements can be found in Generic Provider Guidance Chapter 11b - European Social Fund Requirements (ESF) 2014 - 2020 (England Only).

Should you require a copy of any of the forms mentioned in this chapter, please email: WHP.ENQUIRIES@DWP.GOV.UK