Drugs and Alcohol DWP Strategy

Transcription

1 Drugs and Alcohol DWP Strategy Rachel Radice Social Justice May 2013 Department for Work and Pensions 1 Department for Work and Pensions

2 Social Justice Progress Report Launched April 2013, updating on commitments in the Social Justice Strategy published in March Seven key indicators, including one on drug and alcohol dependency. Focus on addressing multiple-disadvantage through early intervention, with a emphasis on recovery. New statistics on long-term worklessness show 1 million people have been stuck on a working-age benefit for at least three out of the past four years, despite currently being judged capable of preparing or looking for work how can we change this? 2 Department for Work and Pensions

3 The facts.. Over the course of a year around 200,000 people in England receive treatment for drug dependency Around 110,000 for alcohol dependency. There are an estimated 400,000 problem drug users (on heroin or crack cocaine) in Great Britain: 306, ,000 are in England; an estimated 56,000 in are Scotland; and an estimated 20,000 are in Wales. An estimated 80 per cent of these individuals are on benefit. Approximately 160,000 dependent drinkers in England are in receipt of one or more of the main benefits. 3 Department for Work and Pensions

4 DWP customers 1 in 15 benefit claimants has a drug or substance misuse problem. Individuals usually present with numerous barriers to employment, many with a combination of the following: Drug or alcohol dependency mental health issues homelessness offending Employment is a key component to establishing a stable life and allowing people to live independently. 4 Department for Work and Pensions

5 National Treatment Agency(NTA)Datamatch In 2012 officials created a data match with the NTA s National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) looking at the benefit profile for people that have undergone treatment for drug dependency. Will be updated shortly. The data shows that the average Jobseeker s Allowance (JSA) claimant in treatment in April 2007 spent approximately 40 per cent more time on benefits over the next three years than the average JSA claimant. This information was not available when the Work Programme was established, but it indicates that those dependent on drugs are significantly harder to help. Datatmatch with NATMS (alcohol) data will take later this year. 5 Department for Work and Pensions

6 National Treatment Agency(NTA)Datamatch 100% 80% NTA - Claiming 4 main benefits NTA - Original JSA claim Average - Claiming 4 main benefits Average - Original JSA claim 60% 40% 20% 0% Weeks since individuals' JSA claim start Off-flows for claimants dependent on drugs are at a similar rate as that of standard claimants but they are much more likely to return to benefits. 6 Department for Work and Pensions

7 The Jobcentre Plus offer introduced summer 2011 recognise the implications of needing to overcome drug and alcohol dependency and reflecting treatment commitments within the Jobseeker s Agreement build strong and effective relationships with external partners such as treatment and Work Programme providers refer claimants who are not accessing treatment to a voluntary discussion with a treatment provider provide employment support on the premises of treatment providers in participating areas offer claimants with drug or alcohol dependency issues voluntary early access to the Work Programme (from three months) for claimants in treatment, advisers may encourage volunteering, and engage in joint case conferencing with treatment key workers (on education, training and employment) a specific Work Programme Referral exemption category to support ESA claimants undergoing residential rehabilitation for drug and/or alcohol dependency who reach their mandatory referral date 7 Department for Work and Pensions

8 The Work Programme Unified welfare to work programme Supporting those at risk of long term unemployment Delivered by private and third sector providers Launched June 2011 UK s largest payment by results model 8 Department for Work and Pensions

9 Attachment Fee Incentive for sustained job outcomes Payment ( ) 13 weeks 26 weeks weeks Employment after initial job outcome that can add up to sustainment payments WP Start Job start Job outcome payment-paid at 13/26 weeks depending on payment group 9 Department for Work and Pensions

10 Recovery and Employment Pilot The Recovery and Employment pilot will test whether we can facilitate closer working between the Work Programme providers and the treatment sector to support people through recovery and into employment within existing funding. Arrangements for the pilot have been agreed locally between the Local Authority Joint Commissioning Managers and the Work Programme providers. Two geographical locations Coventry & Warwickshire and Birmingham. We will evaluate whether intensified focus on relationship building delivers improved job outcomes for drug and alcohol dependent claimants. The pilot was announced by SoS on 31 January 2013, and started on 2 April Department for Work and Pensions

11 Recovery Works new Work Programme pilot An extra 2,500 per job outcome Work Programme participants in structured treatment, or who have recently been in structured treatment are eligible Black box approach to encourage innovation Strengthen local processes and relationships Launches on 2 April Department for Work and Pensions

12 Confirmation process WPP identifies participant dependency issue WPP discusses pilot & data sharing consent Complete consent section of TPR1(P) N Y Participant agrees to sign data sharing consent form? Y N Participant already in treatment, or has been during six months prior to WP referral TPR1 Participant not eligible for pilot but still eligible for treatment. WPP refer to treatment provider using existing TPR1 WPP refers to treatment provider TPR1(P) TPR1(P) WPP confirms treatment with local provider Local protocol Participant confirmed in eligible¹ treatment? N Participant not eligible for pilot Y Validation Process ¹ Structured Drugs or Alcohol Treatment 12 Department for Work and Pensions

13 Universal Credit (UC) and tailored conditionality Encourage claimants to disclose any dependency issues to Jobcentre Plus. Conditionality turned off for a up to six months to allow claimants the space to engage with structured recovery orientated treatment. Eligibility Criteria have to be in structured recovery orientated treatment as recorded by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System or the National Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System. A continuous period of treatment is classed as a claimant having engaged the provider within the last month. Tailored conditionality may be reapplied if the last period of treatment ended over twelve months ago. Policy decisions still to be taken over Work Programme referrals. At the moment referrals are as usual. Additional support provided via the claimant commitment, taking into account treatment commitments. Support for those that wish to engage with the system, full conditionality for those that do not. Tailored conditionality is voluntary. 13 Department for Work and Pensions

14 Verification Jobcentre Plus establishes that somebody is in treatment. A list of structured treatment is provided by Public Health England. The claimant is given a form to take to the treatment provider, and returns it with their stamp on it. An end date is put on the period that tailored conditionality will apply. Each month Jobcentre Plus will phone the treatment provider to confirm that the claimant has engaged within the past month. If the claimant has disengaged full conditionality will be applied from that point, and the claimant will be notified. 14 Department for Work and Pensions

15 Pathfinder roll-out Pathfinders will roll out in the greater Manchester area from later this month 29 April Universal Credit began in Ashton-under-Lyne Wigan, Oldham and Warrington will start to deliver Universal Credit from July Staggered full roll-out from October 2013, with all claimants to be migrated to UC by 2017 Initial claimants will be new non-complex claimants in terms of main characteristics but will include claimants dependent on drugs and alcohol Once a claimant is in receipt of Universal Credit they will remain on it from then on even if they move to another area 15 Department for Work and Pensions

16 Who will be eligible for Universal Credit in the pilot areas? People already in receipt of benefits will not be migrated onto Universal Credit Single claimants, with no dependent children, and not pregnant Not in receipt of Housing Benefit, or a home owner Not awaiting a decision for benefits before the start date of the pathfinder Not living in temporary accommodation or hospital Not self-employed, or in education or training Not in receipt of DLA/PIP, Bereavement Allowance or Carer's Allowance Not in prison, in hospital, doing voluntary work or jury service Has to have a National Insurance number and a bank account 16 Department for Work and Pensions

17 Drugs and Alcohol Head of Policy Social Justice Department for Work and Pensions 17 Department for Work and Pensions