Appendix 4: Programme Detail

The project does not have to support the full cohort of 1,000 participants in year one but must in year two. ESCC is invited to begin delivery in April 2025, which is important as it will enable continuous provision, building on Moving on Up and Support into Work, preventing lost momentum and the loss of specialist staff and replacing the gap left by the Pioneer and Work and Health programmes.

The DWP will fund an implementation period in the run up to delivering the programme. Our proposed implementation plan would run from November 2024 to April 2025 and has been costed at approximately £125,000 (just over 1% of budget). (See Appendix 1: Timeline).

The Supported Employment programme must support those aged 18+ from specific cohorts to help them find and retain employment. Eligible participants must be UK residents who are economically inactive or at risk of losing their job, who are not participating on a current employment programme and can be:

· care experienced or a care leaver

· a young person involved in or at risk of being involved in serious violence

· disabled

· experiencing mental health issue

· an offender or ex-offender

· a carer or ex-carer

· homeless

· a military veteran

· drug or alcohol dependent

· a refugee, resettled Afghan or on the Ukrainian scheme

· a victim of domestic abuse

· a victim of modern slavery

In exceptional circumstances, young people aged 16 and 17 will be able to access the programme if they are on Universal Credit below the age of 18 (hardship payments) or at risk of ending an apprenticeship due to disability, health or additional barriers.

DWP expects Accountable Bodies to adhere to two specific delivery models known as fidelity models. The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model is effective in supporting those with health conditions or other barriers to work. Whilst the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) model is suited to those with complex needs such as learning disabilities or autism and includes more intensive support. Participants must be supported by dedicated employment specialists each of whom must support a caseload of between 20-25 people.

Referrals into the programme can be made by local stakeholders including community organisations, council departments and teams, DWP job centres, primary care providers (e.g. GP social prescribing teams), mental health services, probation services and drug and alcohol teams. The Accountable body will check eligibility and register participants onto the programme, and will collate participant tracking information, but the DWP will monitor participant income.

Accountable bodies will be expected to deliver and commission projects to meet specified outcomes including 50% of all unemployed participants to move into work, 29% achieving earnings of £5,354 within 456 days of their start on the programme and 80% of employed participants earning £5,354 within one year of starting on the project.