A4e has produced a report outlining its views in response to the “In Work, Better Off” (IWBO) consultation. A summary of the response can be found below and we invite you to download a pdf of the full response and would welcome any enquiries for further clarification on any aspects of it.
Introduction
A4e has been at the forefront of welfare to work delivery in the past twenty years, delivering work-focused services to over one million individuals. We are the largest supplier of DWP contracted services to the workless in the UK. This has provided us with direct experience of a number of welfare models and approaches to tackling poverty and exclusion. As well as working with central government departments and agencies, A4e works with Regional Development Agencies and local authorities. In addition to welfare and employment provision, our services include learning and skills support, services tackling financial exclusion, Third Sector capacity building and grant distribution, education services targeting marginalised individuals, supply chain management for public sector organisations, business support and regeneration services.
A4e has been at the forefront of welfare to work delivery in the past twenty years, delivering work-focused services to over one million individuals. We are the largest supplier of DWP contracted services to the workless in the UK. This has provided us with direct experience of a number of welfare models and approaches to tackling poverty and exclusion. As well as working with central government departments and agencies, A4e works with Regional Development Agencies and local authorities. In addition to welfare and employment provision, our services include learning and skills support, services tackling financial exclusion, Third Sector capacity building and grant distribution, education services targeting marginalised individuals, supply chain management for public sector organisations, business support and regeneration services.
A4e also delivers welfare to work services to overseas governments. We deliver services in France, Germany, Poland, and Israel. Our involvement in the development of welfare reform in different international markets provides us with key insights into best practice and also what doesn’t work. We then apply what we learn in delivery of our UK welfare to work services.
We broadly welcome the Green Paper titled “In Work, Better Off”. The paper proposes innovative reform for the welfare system which should enable the Government to move towards some of its ambitious targets such as raising the employment rate to 80 per cent and reducing the number of children in poverty by half (between 1998/99 and 2010/11).
Our response to this consultation consists of a summary of the recommendations of our response, a general review of what A4e considers to be the key issues raised in IWBO and is then followed by our reactions to the Consultation Questions.
Summary of A4e’s Recommendations
A4e wants to play a central role in the reforms outlined in IWBO. In order to achieve our shared goal of 80% employment we need to improve and extend workforce skills development activities, create new healthy enterprises and introduce new ways of delivering Welfare support programmes that incentivise and motivate. We strongly believe that personalisation of support is important. We also strongly support the clear conditionality framework outlining the rights and responsibilities pact between Government and the customer. Strong and clear messages at commencement ensures that sanctions, or indeed the threat of sanctions, should not be needed in the majority of cases.
As a private sector provider that works with both public and Third Sector partners we recommend that Specialist Suppliers are given the opportunity to lead the personalisation of services. Current Prime Contracting does not give providers and sub contractors the flexibility to provide what works for customers. We need to move from prescribed activities and supply side management towards allowing providers to make decisions that bring results.
In order to enable this current commissioning there needs to be a focus on scale and duration of contract. This will bring about benefits for the customer. Increased scale will:
+ enable providers to invest in both structure and people to provide excellent customer service
+ deliver a flexible personalised service
+ result in world class supply chain management systems
+ result in healthy financial organisations able to deliver the performance and results that meet key PSA objectives
To download a copy of the full A4e response please click here
The report was produced by the A4e Policy and Research team.
Summary of A4e’s Recommendations
A4e wants to play a central role in the reforms outlined in IWBO. In order to achieve our shared goal of 80% employment we need to improve and extend workforce skills development activities, create new healthy enterprises and introduce new ways of delivering Welfare support programmes that incentivise and motivate. We strongly believe that personalisation of support is important. We also strongly support the clear conditionality framework outlining the rights and responsibilities pact between Government and the customer. Strong and clear messages at commencement ensures that sanctions, or indeed the threat of sanctions, should not be needed in the majority of cases.
As a private sector provider that works with both public and Third Sector partners we recommend that Specialist Suppliers are given the opportunity to lead the personalisation of services. Current Prime Contracting does not give providers and sub contractors the flexibility to provide what works for customers. We need to move from prescribed activities and supply side management towards allowing providers to make decisions that bring results.
In order to enable this current commissioning there needs to be a focus on scale and duration of contract. This will bring about benefits for the customer. Increased scale will:
+ enable providers to invest in both structure and people to provide excellent customer service
+ deliver a flexible personalised service
+ result in world class supply chain management systems
+ result in healthy financial organisations able to deliver the performance and results that meet key PSA objectives
To download a copy of the full A4e response please click here
The report was produced by the A4e Policy and Research team.
