Title
Contents
Acknowledgements 7
The Authors 8
Abbreviations 9
Glossary of terms 11
Summary 13
1 Introduction 19
1.1 The introduction of Employment and Support Allowance 19
1.2 The evaluation of ESA 21
1.3 The scope of this study 21
1.3.1 Research with staff 22
1.3.2 Research with customers 23
1.3.3 Analysis 24
1.4 Characteristics of the sample 25
1.4.1 The staff sample 25
1.4.2 The customer sample 25
2. Staff experiences of delivering ESA 27
2.1 Introduction 27
2.2 Training 27
2.2.1 Training prior to the introduction of ESA 27
2.2.2 Ongoing training and support 29
2.3 Dealing with the claim process 32
2.3.1 Experiences of taking claims by phone 32
2.3.2 IT systems and process issues 34
2.4 Work Capability Assessment and Work-Focused Health-Related Assessment 36
2.4.1 Process and practice 36
2.4.2 Failing the WCA, and appeals 37
2.4.3 Use of the WFHRA 40
2.5 WFIs and Pathways to Work 41
2.5.1 The first WFI 41
2.5.2 Subsequent WFIs 42
2.5.3 Action Plans 45
2.5.4 Provision and referrals 46
2.5.5 The ESA customer group 47
2.6 'Fail to attend' and sanctions 49
2.7 Conclusions 50
3. Customer experiences of claiming ESA 53
3.1 Existing awareness of ESA 53
3.2 Customer claim process 54
3.2.1 Method of claim 54
3.2.2 Contact Centre - initial claim 54
3.2.3 The ESA50 medical questionnaire 55
3.2.4 Claim processing and communication at the Benefit Delivery Centre 56
3.3 The medical process - the Work Capability Assessment and Work-Focused Health-Related Assessment 56
3.3.1 Work Capability Assessment expectations 56
3.3.2 Work Capability Assessment experiences 57
3.3.3 Work Capability Assessment delays 58
3.3.4 The Work Focused Health-Related Assessment 58
3.4 Reactions to the WCA decision 58
3.4.1 Work-Related Activity Group 58
3.4.2 Support Group 59
3.4.3 Fit For Work group 59
3.5 Work-Focused Interviews and Pathways to Work 59
3.5.1 The Work-Related Activity Group 59
3.5.2 The Support Group 60
3.6 Employment aspirations and future plans 61
3.6.1 The Work-Related Activity Group 61
3.6.2 The Support Group 63
3.6.3 Work-Focused Interviews 64
3.6.4 Work Focused Health-Related Assessment 66
3.7 Overall views of ESA 67
3.7.1 Implementation 67
3.7.2 Policy 68
4. Conclusions and implications 69
4.1 Staff views and experiences 69
4.1.1 Work volumes and IT issues 69
4.1.2 Publicity and customer communications 70
4.1.3 Process issues 70
4.1.4 Composition of Support Group and WRAG 70
4.2 Customer views and experiences 71
4.3 Next steps 71
Appendix A. ESA process timings 73
Appendix B. ESA simplified customer journey map 75
Appendix C. Discussion guide - ESA Jobcentre Plus and provider pathways adviser interviews 77
Appendix D. Opt-out letter 83
Appendix E. ESA customer interviews - Work-Related Activity Group 85
Appendix F. Coding frame 91
Appendix G. Customer sample 93
Appendix H. WFI letter 95
Table 1.1 Staff sample by district and role 25
Table G.1 Customer sample: age, gender and claim outcome 93
Table G.2 Customer sample: claim outcome group and health condition 93
Table G.3 Customer sample - routes onto ESA and claim outcome group 94