It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

To ensure the continuous improvement, Work Coaches learning is regularly reviewed with policy colleagues, work psychologists and representatives from service delivery. Through our evaluation strategy at key points, we conduct surveys to gather quantitative and qualitative data on learners’ experience, the questions focus on knowledge, confidence and required support. We also hold listening circles with Work Coaches to gather evidence of the effectiveness of the learning and consolidation. All opportunities to improve our products are impacted and changes are made as quickly as possible.

To support customers who are involved in Move to Universal Credit (UC) the Department has introduced a dedicated DWP telephone line, face to face support in the local Jobcentre, and independent support through Help to Claim, delivered by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland.

Average number of Work Coaches per Jobcentre

Jobcentres across the DWP estate vary significantly in size and capacity, the average number of Work Coaches per Jobcentre does not reflect this variation and is not a metric used by the Department.

At the end of March 24, the number of full time equivalent (FTE) UC, JSA and ESA Work Coaches across Great Britain was 16,480 and the number of Jobcentres was 634, giving an average number of Work Coaches per Jobcentre of approximately 26.

Notes on the figures:

• Data is correct as at the end of March 24.
• Figures were derived from the Department’s Activity Based Model (ABM), which provides Full Time Equivalent (FTE) figures based on point in time estimate by Line Managers. They cover only FTE of staff with paid employment.
• Work Coach figures include both Universal Credit Work Coaches and Existing Benefit Work Coaches. They do not include Work Coach Team Leaders and Disability Employment Advisers.
• The number of colleagues employed in these directorates is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. As the Department holds the information, we have released it.

Average caseload of a Work Coach

The table below shows the average number of Universal Credit customers in the Intensive Work Search regime per Universal Credit work coach FTE across Great Britain in March 24.

Data sources: Work coach FTE - DWP’s internal Activity Based Model, People on UC - Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk)

Please note, the Department does not use caseload per Work Coach to estimate the number of Work Coaches required nationally or locally. Not all UC claimants have a Work Coach, but we have provided the number of Intensive Work Search customers per UC Work Coach as most of this group do. The Department has complex models to estimate the resource required in Jobcentres at a national level. These models cover activities across all DWP customer groups and job roles.

The Department continually impacts and assesses the service being offered to customers. Staff numbers, including the number of Work Coaches, and demand for Jobcentre services are reviewed on an ongoing basis, in line with the latest economic and benefit forecasts.

Notes on the figures:

All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and cover Great Britain

People on UC

• The number of Universal Credit claimants includes those who have started Universal Credit (completed the Universal Credit claim process and accepted their Claimant Commitment) and have not had a closure of their claim recorded for this spell, up to the 'count date' (second Thursday in each month).
• A closure of their claim would be recorded either at the request of the individual or if their entitlement to Universal Credit ends, for example, if they no longer satisfy the financial conditions to receive Universal Credit as they have capital over £16,000.
• Labour market regime is based on an individual's circumstances on the count date. More information on the Labour Market Regime can be found using the following link:

Labour Market Regimes

FTE

• Data is correct as at the end of March 24.
• Figures were derived from the Department’s Activity Based Model (ABM), which provides Full Time Equivalent (FTE) figures based on point in time estimate by Line Managers. They cover only FTE of staff with paid employment.
• Work Coach figures include only Universal Credit Work Coaches. The figures do not include Work Coach Team Leaders and Disability Employment Advisers.
• The number of colleagues employed in these directorates is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. As the Department holds the information, we have released it.
• UC work coach FTE includes the following ABM categories - (DWP) Reasonable Adjustment (W&H Pilot), (UCJC) 50PLUS Work Coach, (UCJC) IWP Work Coach, (UCJC) Learning Premium, (UCJC) UC 18-24 Work Coach, (UCJC) New Style ESA Work Coach, (UCJC) New Style JSA Work Coach, (UCJC) UC Enhanced Work Coach – SE, (UCJC) UC Start Up Training, (UCJC) UC Work Coach Accreditation, (UCJC) UC Work Coach Group Sessions, (UCJC) UC Work Coach, (UCJC) Work Capability Assessment Referrals, (UCJC) Youth Employability Coach, and (UCJC) Youth Hub Work Coach.

An evaluation of the Additional Jobcentre Support pilot is ongoing.

The pilot is being delivered using existing Jobcentre resource.

The pilot is being delivered using existing Jobcentre resource.

A 12-month extension was announced in Spring Budget 2024, which will enable us to better understand the impact of Additional Jobcentre Support.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

There is no set minimum/maximum or optimum caseload size. The net claims per Case Manager is circa 1,500, this excludes: Claims with no Identity Verification – older than 30 days; Suspended claims; Claims with open ‘additional action close claims’ to-do; Claims with consecutive nil payments; Claims with a Case Manager not based in a Service Centre; Claims without a Case Manager.

The size of a Work Coach caseload will vary as it is dependent on several factors, including the level of customer support required, the needs of the local labour market and the experience and working pattern of each Work Coach. For November, our case loads of Intensive Work Search customers averaged 113 cases per Universal Credit Work Coach.

There is no set minimum/maximum or optimum caseload size. The net claims per Case Manager is circa 1,500, this excludes: Claims with no Identity Verification – older than 30 days; Suspended claims; Claims with open ‘additional action close claims’ to-do; Claims with consecutive nil payments; Claims with a Case Manager not based in a Service Centre; Claims without a Case Manager.

The size of a Work Coach caseload will vary as it is dependent on several factors, including the level of customer support required, the needs of the local labour market and the experience and working pattern of each Work Coach. For November, our case loads of Intensive Work Search customers averaged 113 cases per Universal Credit Work Coach.

DWP regularly review and update our learning catalogue in line with Policy changes, operational demand, and improvements in technology.

The module for Claimant Commitment learning was last updated August 2023 and the learning for lead carers was updated October 2023.

The Additional Jobcentre Support pilot is being tested over two phases. The following Jobcentres were part of the first phase, that ran until end of August 2023:

From 4 September 2023 the following Jobcentres are part of the second phase of the Additional Jobcentre pilot that is ongoing:

The Claimant Commitment review meetings are currently in development and will be for those claimants who are still unemployed after the 12-month Restart programme.

All DWP new entrant work coaches undergo a minimum mandatory learning journey compromising of a combination of induction, onboarding, and operational fundamental learning prior to progressing into their work coach technical learning.

The work coach specific learning is a total of 30 days and is a combination of facilitated learning and consolidation, this is followed by a 2-day mental health learning event.

Additionally, all new work coaches undergo mandatory Keeping Safe learning which is for employees who have direct contact with members of the public.

The information provided in the table below shows the number and proportion of attended appointments between 14/10/2023 and 14/11/2023.

These figures are derived from DWP’s administrative data and relate to in-person, telephone, and video appointments with Universal Credit claimants. All Universal Credit types are included. Non-Universal Credit appointments are not included. The numbers of appointments have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and the percentages to the nearest 0.1%.

Incentives for Work Coaches are not included as part of DWP’s performance management approach, but good performance and achievements are recognised.

Within the Additional Jobcentre Support pilot we did include testing of incentives across 60 jobcentres. Phase 1 of this test concluded on 31 August 2023.