Universal Credit. Support available for claimants with drug &/or alcohol dependency in Scotland. Supplementary information for treatment providers

Transcription

1 Universal Credit Support available for claimants with drug &/or alcohol dependency in Scotland Supplementary information for treatment providers

2 Using this document This presentation is designed to be used in conjunction with the Universal Credit if you have a drug and/or alcohol dependency guide, which forms part of the DWP partner toolkit. The toolkit is available at 2

3 DWP support for claimants with dependency issues Universal Credit, as part of its Labour Market Service will tailor conditionality requirements for claimants who have a drug and/or alcohol dependency. This will be formalised in a Claimant Commitment. A commitment was made by DWP, in the delivery of the Recovery Strand of the Drug Strategy 2010, to tailor work-related requirements for claimants dependent on drugs and/or alcohol. Social Justice: Transforming Lives (published March 2012) also sets out new approaches to understanding and tackling the root causes of poverty rather than its symptoms. In line with the Drug Strategy, one of the key principles is to focus interventions on recovery and independence. DWP recognises the problems associated with addiction for individuals, their families and friends and society as a whole. For this reason DWP has agreed that for a period of up to six months, claimants in structured treatment, will not be required to fulfil their work related requirements. that is be available for and actively seek work. This support aims to give people the time and space to engage in treatment, and begin their recovery journey. 3

4 The key points For someone engaged in structured treatment, a work coach can lift the requirement to be available and looking for work, for up to six months. This will give them time to focus on tackling their dependency on drugs and/or alcohol DWP hopes that by supporting claimants dependent on drugs and/or alcohol in this way, we can encourage them to disclose and discuss their situation with their work coach and move into structured treatment In Scotland eligible claimants have to be in structured treatment with a treatment provider that submits information to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database or National Drug and Alcohol Waiting Times Database 4

5 The key points DWP will not determine what on-going treatment means it is up to the treatment provider to decide. However, for DWP purposes a continuous period of treatment is classed as a claimant having engaged with their provider within the last month For those claimants who agree to attend structured treatment due to drug and/or alcohol dependency, a rolling 12 month period is applied. The work coach may reapply this if the last period of treatment ended over 12 months ago Following the six month period and in discussion with the treatment provider a work coach can at their discretion, tailor/personalise a claimant's Claimant Commitment to include continued attendance at the treatment centre as well as other activities 5

6 DWP verification process - checking the claimant is in structured treatment The Jobcentre Plus work coach will need to establish that somebody is in structured treatment and can lift the requirement to be available and looking for work, for up to six months This gives the claimant time to focus on tackling their dependency on drugs and/or alcohol (a list of structured treatment providers is provided by NHS Scotland) Jobcentre Plus does this by giving the claimant a form to take to the treatment provider which the claimant must get signed, stamped and then return it to the jobcentre Jobcentre Plus will update the claimant s records to show a six month end date to the support available and include this on the Claimant Commitment Each month Jobcentre Plus will phone the treatment provider to confirm that the claimant is still participating in treatment. If the claimant has stopped participating in treatment then full work-related requirements will be applied. The claimant will be told about this change 6

7 Role of the treatment sector in verification The provider will complete parts 1-3 of the verification form (Can Universal Credit share information about you with your treatment provider) on behalf of the claimant it is vital this is completed and returned as soon as possible Part 4 must only be completed by the Jobcentre Plus work coach. If the provider completes the form it will be invalid and we will need to start again The provider will receive a monthly call from Jobcentre Plus to check the claimant is still participating in the structured treatment programme If, at the end of the six month period, the claimant still has on-going treatment needs that could interfere with their work search and work availability, the claimant should make sure they tell their Jobcentre Plus work coach. They should explain exactly what the treatment needs are so they can be recorded in their Claimant Commitment 7

8 Role of the treatment sector in verification It is important that the treatment provider confirms with Jobcentre Plus whether or not the client is still engaging with treatment. If they are, they will be able to access continued support under the provisions for those with drug and/or alcohol dependency If they are not engaging with treatment, the support available for those with drug and/or alcohol dependency will stop If you have a client who is about to make a claim for Universal Credit, remind them to ask their Jobcentre Plus work coach about the support available for those with a drug and/or alcohol dependency 8

9 9 Verification Form

10 10 Page 2

11 Questions and Answers Is the support available for these claimants going to be rolled out nationally? Yes - It is being rolled out nationally as part of Universal Credit, for those with a drug and/or alcohol dependency. Have you engaged with external stakeholders? Yes - DWP has engaged with external stakeholders, including NHS Scotland, DrugScope and Turning Point. 11

12 Questions and Answers How will claimants know about the additional help available to them? Disclosure from the claimant is essential. When a claimant is identified as having a drug and/or alcohol dependency, their work coach will explain the support available. If the claimant is not already taking part in structured treatment they will be asked if they want to be referred for a discussion with a treatment provider. 12

13 Questions and Answers What if the claimant is in treatment which is not on the NHS Scotland treatment provider list? NHS Scotland supplies a list of drug and alcohol treatment providers that report to Scottish Drug Misuse Database or the National Drug and Alcohol Waiting Times Database. If the treatment provider is not on this list then the support available cannot be applied under the provisions for those with drug and/or alcohol dependency. Full work-related requirements will apply as appropriate. The process will be reviewed to check the robustness of the systems and procedures. 13

14 Questions and Answers Will the support available mean claimants don t have to look for work? No not necessarily, it will depend where they are on their recovery journey. Universal Credit will not impose work related requirements (work search or availability) to these claimants. In essence the work coach can lift the requirement for conditionality for six months for these claimants, if they are receiving or participating in structured treatment. DWP knows that these claimants will have no mandatory work-search and availability requirements for a period of up to six months however we also know the claimant will/can still be looking for work (if appropriate) taking into account where they are in their recovery journey. The support available to these claimants will give them the time and space to engage in treatment, and begin their recovery journey. We recognise this as a critical step in enabling them to become ready for sustainable employment. 14

15 Questions and Answers Will the same support be available for claimants on the Work Programme? Yes - The regulations allow for any claimant participating in structured treatment to access the support available for up to six months. Work search and availability requirements will not apply whilst they are participating in treatment. What happens if a person who had access to the support available moves in with someone who doesn't? All claimants have an individual Claimant Commitment which sets out any work-related requirements they have. The fact that one member of a couple has access to additional support will not affect the work-related requirements of the other member of the couple. 15

16 Questions and Answers Is there anything else that Jobcentre Plus does to support claimants through treatment towards employment? The Work Programme supports people who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Before entering the Work Programme, Jobcentre Plus is responsible for supporting the claimant to move closer to the labour market and the joint-working arrangements will apply to them. Once a claimant joins the Work Programme, the Work Programme adviser will be solely responsible for addressing education, training and employment needs and the joint-working arrangements will be between the claimant, treatment key worker and Work Programme adviser. 16

17 Questions and Answers Would a previous episode of treatment have to count within the six month period? It depends when the previous treatment was. The support available for those participating in structured treatment is applied from the start date of structured treatment. So if a claimant has been in structured treatment for three months at the time of making a claim for Universal Credit they are only eligible for a further three months. A rolling 12 month period is applied to those receiving additional support and can be reapplied if the last period of treatment ended over 12 months ago. *When a claimant who is still in treatment reaches the end of their maximum time for tailored conditionality, their Claimant Commitment may allow further treatment commitments to be taken into account although this is at the discretion of Jobcentre Plus and must be agreed with the work coach. 17

18 Universal Credit further information If you need any further information about Universal Credit please see the DWP toolkit for partner organisations. 18