[Withdrawn] LR71 provider memo: protected places payments claims, England and Wales CPA 5 to 28
Updated 17 January 2019
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/work-choice-provider-memos-2017/lr7-provider-memo-protected-places-payments-claims-england-and-wales
This memo is for Work Choice providers with supported businesses. It was issued on 3 December 2018.
1. Protected places payments claims, England and Wales
Although Work Choice service in Scotland has now ended, Work Choice service in England and Wales continues until 31 March 2019.
As you know, Work Choice funding for all protected places (PPs) with approved supported businesses, as baselined in February 2018, will continue until that date.
If vacant protected places cannot be filled by available Work Choice participants, supported businesses may choose to recruit new, non-Work Choice, employees (up to the maximum number agreed in the February 2018 PP baseline) to fill those vacancies and apply for support from the Access to Work programme’s Transitional Employer Support Grant (TESG).
Supported businesses have received a Memorandum of Understanding from Access to Work detailing the eligibility and process for applications for TESG.
Work Choice primes, or supported businesses, who require further information about filling vacancies with non-Work Choice participants, or applying for post-Work Choice TESG support, should be directed to Access to Work via accesstowork.policytesg@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Note: TESG processes cannot be detailed in a Work Choice live running memo as TESG is a separate funding and support arrangement. You should ensure your supported businesses are clear, new employees supported by TESG will not be (or become) Work Choice participants.
The following action is set out to ensure any potential double funding or overpayment from Work Choice is avoided.
2. Action to take
If, between 3 December 2018 and 31 March 2019, a vacant protected place cannot be filled by a Work Choice participant, a supported business may choose to recruit a new employee to fill that place and apply for support from the Access to Work programme’s TESG.
The Work Choice protected places return has been updated to incorporate a column to list new employees allocated to a protected place supported by TESG. This updated return will shortly be published in Work Choice provider guidance.
When a new recruit, with funding support from the TESG, is allocated into a vacant Work Choice protected place, primes must inform the Work Choice policy team via the updated protected places return and by email to the Work Choice policy team: disabilityemploymentprovisionpolicy.enquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Copy this email to accesstowork.policytesg@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Any Work Choice protected place payments will cease when an employee with TESG funding fills that place.
To avoid double funding, primes must ensure their supported businesses notify them promptly when a non-Work Choice recruit occupies a vacant protected place with TESG support, and equally promptly, primes must notify DWP’s Work Choice policy team.
3. Further information contact details
Further information or queries in respect of Work Choice payments may be directed either to your performance manager, or to the Work Choice policy team via the usual email inbox: disabilityemploymentprovisionpolicy.enquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Further information or queries about TESG or post-Work Choice support from Access to Work may be directed to: accesstowork.policytesg@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.