DWP NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP TEAM LOCAL PARTNERSHIP

Corinne Gregory Date: 30th October 2013

National Partnership Team:

“Our Purpose is to Build Relationships with Partners”

“This is more than simply delivering material to partners. Our goal is to build a relationship of trust

and mutual respect with that partner. To support them to better help the customer access the whole range of DWP benefits and services, and promote

“As One” working.”

Our 4 Teams

Lesley SuttlingPartnerships

Information and Communications

Non-partner facing

Steve LismoreNorth East,

Scotland and Stakeholders

Partner facing

Ian PriceLondon and Home Counties, Wales,

Southern and benefit issues

Partner facing

John KelsallCentral,

North West and employment issues

Partner facing

Our National Footprint & External Agenda

We:Are a DWP National Partnership Team but with a local

footprintHave 100 operatives across England, Scotland & Wales Take learning from local activity to develop a national

consistent approachHave a clear remit for partner engagement; influencing

& supporting the implementation of policy in gathering partnerships intelligence & good practice

Assist in the critical development of & review of face to face services through Welfare Reforms

Represent DWP at National events

Our Aim Is To:

• Identify & understand what your needs are to support your customers to access DWP benefits & services

• Provide support & awareness through changes as result of Welfare Reform

• Develop closer working relationships across DWP to provide a consistent offer to partners supporting vulnerable people and/or into work

What We Can Offer…

• Awareness/upskilling for partners of forthcoming Welfare Reform changes

• A route to signpost appropriate home visit referrals to DWP Visiting for the most vulnerable

• Assistance / be a conduit for feedback in escalating & resolving recurring process unit issues

• Assistance / conduit for feedback on DWP Policy issues• If suitable, the facility to become an Alternative Office

What is an Alternative Office?

Alternative Office (AO) is a DWP initiative (since 2003) whereby

Regulations enable the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to

designate partner organisations and named accredited individuals within

to receive claims for specified benefits and verify supporting

documents

Original intention was (and still is) to improve customer service & channel

choice

As One DWP

NPT build on internal relationships with Jobcentre (JC) &Benefit Centre (BC) colleagues to join up & close gaps toensure DWP provides a cohesive voice with our partners

We aspire to do this through: Regular communications with relevant JC/BC people

i.e. @ National, Group & District level Making all aware of our remit

i.e. Liaison forums & Local Services Support Framework Agreeing responsibilities / reach plans with mutual

partners on Welfare Reforms i.e. Via Projects to avoid confusion/duplication re DWP Services

It All Depends on How You See Things...

opportunityisnowhere

The Challenging Bit… What If:

We all aspire to the same dream to:Work better together, collaboratively to provide anexcellent service to all our users

NPT are striving to do this by building on both existing / new internal (DWP) & external partner relationships to achieve our respective performance goals

DWP: Our Reform Story

For more information contact: corporate.stakeholders@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Follow us: twitter.com/dwppressoffice facebook.com/DWP linkedin.com/company/dwp

youtube.com/workandpensions

Updated: October 2013Next update due: December 2013

• We have to ensure that support continues to be available to those who need it most.

• Employment must be an aspiration for everyone who is able to work.

Overview The Reform Story

“A system that was originally designed to support the poorest in society is now trapping them in the very condition it was supposed to alleviate” Iain Duncan-Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

What’s changing?

• The government published its strategy for Social Justice, Social Justice: Transforming Lives, in March 2012.

• Previous approaches to tackling poverty have focused on increasing income levels to bring people above the poverty line.

• The Social Justice Strategy goes much further.

• Social Justice principles will increasingly influence our overall direction, our policies, and the delivery of DWP services.

• In October 2012, we published the Social Justice Outcomes Framework.

• On 24 April 2013, the Government published Social Justice: transforming lives – one year on.

Social Justice

Employment Offer

Support for Pensioners

Pensionsand Ageing

Fraud and Error

Appeals ReformBenefit Cap

Disability

Housing Support

UniversalCredit

Social Fund

Welfare that works Employment Offer

What’s changing? Pensions and Ageing

• Employers are now required by law to pay into a workplace pension for eligible workers.

• The proposed introduction of a simple state pension system will make it easier for people to know what they’ll get from the state in retirement. The new single-tier pension will be implemented from April 2016.

• The Default Retirement Age has been abolished.

• We are modifying Pension Credit to incorporate support for dependent children following the introduction of Universal Credit.

What’s changing? Disability

• Access to Work support is being made more widely available and funding is being increased to deliver enhanced outcomes for disabled people.

• Dr Paul Litchfield has been commissioned to carry out the fourth review into the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). His report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will be laid before Parliament by the end of 2013.

What’s changing? Appeals Reform

• Following receipt of a decision, anyone wishing to dispute that decision will have to request that DWP conducts a mandatory reconsideration before being allowed to lodge an appeal.

• Those wishing to dispute a decision following a mandatory reconsideration must send appeals direct to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

• DWP has agreed to the request of the Tribunal Procedure Committee to introduce time limits for DWP to return appeal responses to HMCTS. DWP has undertaken to provide an appeal response within 28 calendar days in benefits cases, and within 42 calendar days in child maintenance cases and will begin to report against these time limits from October 2014.

Appeals Reform

April 2013

April 2013

Universal Credit Pathfinder went live.

Most employers now required to send PAYE returns in real time.

Controlled start for New Claims to Personal Independence Payment for those living in the

North West and parts of the North East of England.

Localised Support for Council Tax introduced.

Benefit cap came into force for new and existing claimants in Bromley, Croydon, Enfield and Haringey local authorities.

Community Care Loans and Crisis Grants abolished and new Local Welfare Provision

introduced.

Short Term Benefit Advances introduced.

Appeals reforms introduced for Personal Independence Payment

and Universal Credit.

Reform Timeline

Removal of the spare room subsidy came into force.

Summer 2013

The first Work Programme claimants finish their 2 years with providers.

July 2013

Benefit cap implemented in all other local authorities (between 15 July and end of September 2013).

Publication of Fulfilling Potential: Making it Happen, setting out the cross-government disability action plan, outcomes and indicators.

May - September 2013 Reform Timeline

June 2013

New claims for PIP introduced nationally.

September 2013

Results from consultation on mobility component of PIP published.

October 2013

October 2013

Temporary Accommodation in Universal Credit will have housing costs met in line with Local Housing Allowance rates. An additional management element will be

paid as a national flat rate to local authorities.

All employers will be routinely reporting PAYE in real time.

Appeals reforms introduced for all other DWP-administered benefits

and child maintenance cases.

Reform Timeline

Reassessment of existing Disability Living Allowance claims for Personal Independence Payment begins for

those that report a change in condition or reach the end of an

existing award.

Universal Credit progressive rollout begins, with a further six Jobcentres across the regions/countries -

Hammersmith, Rugby, Inverness, Harrogate, Bath and Shotton, taking claims.

April 2014

Automatic enrolment begins for medium employers.Local Housing Allowance uprating limited to 1%

December 2013 - 2017

June 2015

Automatic enrolment begins for small employers.

Reform Timeline

October 2015

Reassessment of remaining Disability Living Allowance caseload for Personal Independence Payment begins.

.

2017

Every eligible person claiming Universal Credit by 2017.

April 2016

The new single tier pension will be implemented from April 2016.

October 2014

Changes to Pension Credit for Child Addition and mixed age couples come into effect.

Early 2014

Publication of final report on Local Housing allowance monitoring and evaluation research.

Late 2013

Publication of Litchfield review into Work Capability Assessment.

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