Jobcentre Plus Business Plan 2006/07

Our services

Jobcentre Plus provides an extensive range of services for our individual and employer customers both directly and in partnership with other organisations.

Helping our customers find work through: Help to find and apply for jobs Specialist help for lone parents and Incapacity Benefit customers Advice on in-work assistance and training.

Providing our customers with support through: Payment of working age benefits Payment directly into their bank accounts National Insurance number allocations Social Fund payments Helping customers understand the criteria for receipt of benefits.

For our employer customers: Vacancy handling Recruitment consultancy services including advice on diversity Support and advice on employing people with disabilities Advice on in-work training programmes for new employees.

Contents

Foreword ................................................................................................................................5

Our objectives ........................................................................................................................7

Our priorities in 2006-07 ........................................................................................................8

Transforming our services ....................................................................................................10

Delivery of performance - our targets for 2006-07 ................................................................14

Delivering services more efficiently and effectively ................................................................20

Delivering the Values through our people ..............................................................................24

Our structure ......................................................................................................................29

Our resources ......................................................................................................................30

Towards 2008 ......................................................................................................................32

Contributing to DWPs Public Service Agreement targets for 2005-08 ..................................33

How to access Jobcentre Plus services................................................................................38

Our focus this year will be on continuing to change our organisation in order to deliver better and more efficient services to individuals and employers.
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Foreword

I am delighted to introduce the Jobcentre Plus Business Plan for 2006-07. Jobcentre Plus is a key part of the Department for Work and Pensions and we will continue to work closely with the other services within the Department, such as the Pension Service and the Child Support Agency, to support our customers. As we go into the next financial year we have some really solid achievements to build on. We are now well on the way to completing the Jobcentre Plus network. We have continued to establish contact centres to offer a telephone service to more of our customers; we have begun to centralise benefit processing and we are fundamentally streamlining our organisation. We are involved in an unprecedented period of change, both in its extent and pace, as we modernise our organisation, systems and processes. The benchmark we must set for ourselves is to aspire to be among the best in both the public and private sectors, delivering similar services. Managing this rate of change presents a real challenge to us all. We must continue to learn from experience and take swift action to deal with any difficulties that arise so that we are able to deliver good quality services to our customers. We have shown we can do this, for example with our contact centres where we changed our approach in response to difficulties and significantly improved our service to customers. But of course there is more to do to deliver the vision we have for our services for the future.

In the year ahead we will continue our business transformation programme and stabilise performance. In the coming months we will also respond to the welfare reform proposals that Ministers aim to bring in during the next few years. There will be a great deal to do to plan for that. Our focus must now be, first, to deliver our services to a high standard for all our customers and to deliver on the targets set by Ministers. Second, we will continue to carry through our business transformation programme, learning as we go forward and adapting the way we do things in the light of experience. Third, we will engage everyone in the organisation to lead and support them through the changes that we are putting in place. Whether you are a customer, partner or colleague I hope you will find that the plan gives a clear picture of what we aim to do in 2006-07 and beyond.

Lesley Strathie Chief Executive

Our objectives

Jobcentre Plus is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions. The aim of the Department is to promote opportunity and independence for all. Jobcentre Plus plays a significant role in making this a reality through delivering work for those who can, support for those who cannot. Our key objectives are to:
increase the effective supply of labour by promoting work as the best form of welfare and helping unemployed and economically inactive people move into employment work towards parity of outcomes for ethnic minority customers pay customers the correct benefit at the right time and protect the benefit system from fraud, error and abuse provide high-quality and demand-led services to employers, which help fill job vacancies quickly and effectively with well-prepared and motivated employees help people facing the greatest barriers to employment to compete effectively in the labour market and move into and remain in work improve continuously the quality, accessibility and delivery of services to all customers ensure that people receiving working age benefits fulfil their responsibilities while providing appropriate help and support for those without work, and increase Jobcentre Plus overall productivity, efficiency and effectiveness.

Our priorities 2006-07

Transforming our services

We will carry through the modernisation of our processes and operations, working together to ensure that the services we offer to our customers individuals and employers are felt by them to be high quality, accessible and easy to use.

Delivery of performance
We will continue to deliver high quality services and meet the targets set by Ministers including helping people into jobs, measured in a new way (the Job Outcome target), and delivering benefits efficiently while minimising fraud and error.

Delivering services more efficiently and effectively

We will continuously improve our efficiency and effectiveness, using less resource, whilst carrying forward business transformation, maximising the results from working with partners and providers and driving the highest levels of performance and productivity across the business.

Delivering the Values through our people

Our vision is to become an employer of choice, whose people are proud to work for us. We will demonstrate our Values in our day-to-day work to make them a reality for our customers and all our people. Together we will focus on delivering high quality customer services in an environment that makes full use of our skills and rewards our contribution.

Transforming our services

In 2006-07 we aim to:

Continue changing the shape of our business to meet customer needs by: continuing to scrutinise the way we deliver our end to end processes so we develop an efficient and seamless approach to delivering our service to customers completing the transformation of our local offices, providing customers with a bright, modern and welcoming feel in our new offices offering our customers access to our services through a range of channels including local Jobcentre Plus offices, jobpoints and customer access telephones in a range of locations such as in the premises of our partners starting to move towards a virtual network of contact centres for customers who make contact by telephone or through the internet with all contact centre sites answering calls from customers anywhere in the country promptly, and progressing the implementation of around 77 benefit delivery centres where all our benefit claims will be processed, providing customers with a more consistent service. Meet employers needs by: providing a high quality service to fill vacancies for employers continuing to develop an electronic selfservice system, which automatically matches employers vacancies to registered jobseekers

continuing to provide agencies and large employers throughout the United Kingdom with the facility to put large volumes of vacancies onto our internet site and jobpoints introducing the Employer Relationship Management System (ERM) to more effectively manage our interactions with employers and allow better targeting of our services, and continuing to develop our work with the European Employment Services (EURES) system. Help our customers with health conditions and disabilities realise their aspirations to return to work by: continuing to rollout Pathways to Work for Incapacity Benefit (IB) customers to cover 7 more districts from April 2006, 3 more districts from October 2006 and extending to a further 7% of IB customers in December 2006 in the 5 current Jobcentre Plus Pathways districts that have recently been enlarged planning the further extension of Pathways to Work, through the private and voluntary sector supporting our customers to overcome barriers into work by helping them to identify their abilities offering our customers work preparation, training and access to job brokers working with employers, General Practitioners and Primary Care Trusts to offer more comprehensive help, and aiming to get 211,000 people receiving benefits due to sickness or disability into work (including through our New Deal for Disabled People), during 2006-07.

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Support the transition into work for lone parents by: delivering the New Deal Plus for Lone Parents pilot in the original 5 English districts introducing the New Deal Plus for Lone Parents pilot into a further 2 districts (one in Scotland and one in Wales) from October 2006 continuing to pilot the Work Search Premium in 8 districts, giving lone parents on the New Deal for Lone Parents programme entitlement to additional financial support while undertaking intensive work search activities helping lone parents access suitable childcare continuing to pilot the In-Work Credit for lone parents in 22 districts, providing financial assistance for up to one year after a lone parent finds work, thereby easing the transition into employment preparing to rollout 6 monthly Work Focused Interviews to all lone parents who have been on benefit for at least a year and whose youngest child is under 14, from April 2007, and

aiming to get 220,000 lone parents into work, during 2006-07. Offer more tailored support to our customers by: giving advisers and managers greater flexibility to meet individual customer and labour market needs building on the experience of Action Teams through initiatives such as the Cities Strategy building on the experience of Action Teams and Ethnic Minority Outreach to focus local funding in the most deprived areas, for example areas with high proportions of ethnic minority groups developing a targeted outreach service to help partners of individuals in low income households to find work working in partnership with local agencies and employers to support individuals to move into work introducing, from May 2006, a strengthened, refocused, fortnightly job review to ensure Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) customers comply with their jobseekers agreements. Personal Advisers will use the reviews to direct customers towards further support and to challenge those who are unable to demonstrate that they have undertaken agreed jobsearch activities providing innovative help in areas with high levels of unemployment through Employment Zones, and working with private sector partners who deliver New Deal in some areas.

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Increase the opportunities available to our customers by: working closely with partners to offer a wide range of opportunities to access our services through the internet in local libraries and outreach locations offering our benefit customers and their partners access to our advisory services building more effective relationships with contracted providers and their partners who deliver services to our customers developing our partnerships with private recruitment agencies to increase the range and number of opportunities available to individual customers continuing to build effective relationships with the devolved administrations, Government Offices, and Local Authorities; participating in Local Strategic Partnerships and promoting our employment agenda in Local Area Agreements in England making effective use of European funding and other initiatives like the Northern Way working with the Learning and Skills Council, learndirect and others to offer learning opportunities to our customers improving the way we work with other government departments to improve services for those customers who face the greatest barriers to work using a consortium approach across agencies to help jobless residents in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the UK find, keep and progress in work; this will mean working with public sector partners, employers and the private and voluntary sectors to address local peoples needs working with the National Employment Panel and other employer representatives to further develop our understanding of the labour market and employers requirements

working specifically with offenders maintaining a range of support, including prison employment and benefit surgeries and Freshstart interviews and in taking forward the commitments of the Offender Green Paper working with drugs and alcohol misusers, homeless people and offenders through progress2work and progress2work Linkup supporting the Governments Respect Action Plan moving more unemployed refugees into Jobcentre Plus support quickly and supporting them nationally using the Refugee Operational Framework developing imaginative non-contractual partnerships with the voluntary and community sector to provide additional help such as sign-posting for homeless people maintaining an active membership of the EURES system, and working closely with external stakeholders who have a diversity focus to ensure that our services are appropriate and effective for all our customers. Through partnership working, improve the effectiveness of delivery outside of Jobcentre Plus by: building stronger partnerships with other parts of the Department for Work and Pensions, such as the Pension Service, Disability and Carers Service and the Child Support Agency (CSA) identifying cases with a child support interest quickly and passing information to the CSA, helping lone parents receive the child maintenance to which they are entitled continuing to build effective relationships with Local Authorities to improve the joint administration of benefits, and working with other businesses to provide a seamless service for customers we have in common, including helping Her Majestys Revenue and Customs with cases with a tax credit interest. 13

Delivery of performance - our targets for 2006-07

The key changes to our target structure for 2006-07 are the
introduction of the Job Outcome target, replacing the Job Entry
target and a new target to process benefit claims within a specified
time covering Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and
Incapacity Benefit. The other targets are broadly similar to the ones
that have been in place for the last 3 years.

Job Outcome target The new target better supports our modernisation agenda and enables Jobcentre Plus to capture the total number of customers supported into employment. The Job Outcome target will use Her Majestys Revenue and Customs employment data to identify when customers start work. The Job Outcome target encourages our staff to offer our customers a greater choice on how they look for work, be it through self-service channels, such as our website, over the telephone, or jobpoints. Those customers able to help themselves through self-service channels will be encouraged to do so, allowing us to focus our support on those who need it most. A Job Outcome attracts a set number of points ranging from one point for employed customers to 12 points for lone parents and other inactive benefit recipients. A new definition for customers from disadvantaged groups has been introduced. Additional points will be awarded to those who live in specified Local Authority Wards. In 2006-07 we aim to achieve a total points score of 13.5 million based on job outcomes.

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Average Actual Clearance Times target In 2006-07 the business has been set a new target on average actual clearance times for Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit. The purpose of this target is to help improve the speed and efficiency of benefit processing for our benefit customers. The levels set for the 3 benefits are: Income Support 11 days Jobseekers Allowance 12 days, and Incapacity Benefit 18 days. Monetary Value of Fraud and Error target The Department has a new Public Service Agreement target from April 2006 to achieve, by March 2010, a 15% reduction in losses from fraud and error in working age Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance. The target will be based on a new baseline figure, to be established during 2006. In the interim, Jobcentre Plus annual target for 2006-07 will be based on the previous baseline figure (established in 1998). For 2006-07, we aim to ensure that losses from fraud and error in working age Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance amount to no more than current (March 2006) levels of loss or no more than 5.2% of the monetary value of these benefits paid during the year, whichever represents the lower figure, (measured against the 1998 baseline). A key priority in this year is to reduce losses due to official error. This will be supported by a new Key Management Indicator (KMI). Two further KMIs, on criminal investigations and the prompt actioning of changes of circumstances, will ensure that we maintain our efforts to identify and tackle fraud.

The Employer Outcome target and Customer Service target put customers at the heart of our business.

Employer Outcome target To ensure that at least 86% of employers placing their vacancies with Jobcentre Plus have a positive outcome based on employer perceptions of the service provided. We monitor our performance to our employers by using an independent research company to carry out a survey, telephoning a random sample of employers that have completed recruitment via Jobcentre Plus within the last 3 months.

Our Employers Charter outlines the service standards expected every time we contact employers. We are committed to providing: a named person to talk to about vacancies that have been placed, who understands the needs of the employer and the labour market high quality screening of applicants prior to their submission to a vacancy applicants who match the requirements of the employer progress updates and quality aftercare, and helpful advice on the best way to fill a vacancy.

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Customer Service target The Customer Service target measures our standards and commitments set out in the leaflet Our Service Standards and the Employers Charter. In 2006-07 we aim to achieve 84% customer service satisfaction level in the delivery of the standards. We will measure this better by increasing the mystery shopping scenarios and re-introducing mystery shopping calls to Jobseeker Direct. These changes will inform a more fundamental review of the target during 2006-07, so that a new target can be introduced in 2007-08. Our Service Standards set the quality of service we expect to offer: We aim to provide accurate and appropriate information and advice to help you: find a suitable job understand which working-age benefits you may be able to claim identify other support you may be entitled to, and make a decision about the choices available to you. We will aim to: be friendly, fair and helpful behave professionally give you the service you need, taking account of any health condition, disability or language difficulties direct you to the right person or organisation if we cannot help respect your privacy, and make sure our offices are as safe as possible for all our customers and staff.

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Business Delivery target The purpose of this target is to help us deliver our key business processes by doing the right thing at the right time. In 2006-07 we aim to ensure that these specified key Jobcentre Plus business processes are delivered efficiently, accurately and to specified standards in 94% of cases checked. This target measures our performance in 5 of the key processes: accurate processing of claims for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) accurate processing of claims for Income Support accurate processing of claims for Incapacity Benefit JSA labour market interventions, and action taken with lone parent customers identified as being due a Work Focused Interview. These 5 components make up the target. We will review this target in 2007-08 to ensure it meets our business delivery priorities.

Unit Costs During 2006-07 the Department aims to develop improved Unit Costs measures for Jobcentre Plus.

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Supporting our targets We will improve productivity by reducing variation in performance across our delivery units by moving towards the productivity levels of the higher performing delivery units. To support the achievement of our targets we have developed a set of Key Management Indicators (KMIs). These enable managers to monitor and improve Jobcentre Plus performance across a wider range of services; they include attendance management, the speed of handling benefit claims and payment modernisation.

Reporting our targets We measure our performance against each of our targets throughout the year, using this information to manage and improve performance across the business. We report to Ministers regularly on our progress and performance. The Jobcentre Plus website, www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk gives further information about our targets and performance both nationally and in districts.

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Delivering services more efficiently and effectively

In 2005-06 our Organisation Design Review changed the way our whole organisation was structured. To focus our resources where they are needed most we redesigned the Jobcentre Plus organisation, from top to bottom. The new design creates structures that support the way we will deliver services to our customers in the future and gives a clearer focus to the customer parts of our business. The purpose of this huge change programme was to improve our customer service by dedicating the majority of our resource to activities that involve direct customer interactions. In 2006-07 we will aim to:
Improve our efficiency and effectiveness by: introducing and meeting our new customer service standards piloting a revised process for handling new and repeat claims for Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit. The pilot is designed to improve customer access to the service, and to improve the speed and quality of our work by getting things right first time introducing from April 2006, a new tool, the Adviser Achievement Tool (AAT) to help personal advisers improve their performance against both quantitative and qualitative measures, as part of an overall package of support creating a dedicated Fraud Investigation Service to continue to reduce fraud, and reducing official error through our active commitment to the work of the DWP Official Error Task Force improving the way we buy our information technology services from external suppliers improving work with our providers through a new forum and other communications routes to ensure a more productive partnership and better outcomes for our customers, and offering more of our customers a Direct Payment facility with payments going into a current or basic bank account. This gives our customers a safer, more secure method of payment, more outlets to draw benefit from and helps with their transition into work by having accounts open and ready to receive wages. 21

Embed a structure that serves our customers by: continuing to implement the new organisation design, including finalising changes to key reporting lines for our staff reducing our staffing in central service activities from 13% to 8% by March 2007 and to 7% by March 2008 dedicating the vast majority of our resource to contact with customers through the implementation of our contact centres and benefit delivery centres, and progressing our programme of benefit delivery centralisation, including establishing telephony teams to handle all benefit related enquiries.

Automate our day-to-day tasks by: introducing systems to support our relationships with key partners and contractors, reducing paperwork and improving our financial management of contracts enabling customers to make benefit enquiries online introducing the Employer Relationship Management system, improving the quality of outcomes for our employers and increasing their understanding of our services introducing a Contact Management system that records contact with customers, helping with subsequent enquiries starting to roll out a Fraud and Intervention Management System, improving our fraud referral system developing an electronic self-service system, that automatically matches employers vacancies and suitable jobseekers improving our Job Warehouse, making it easier for customers to search for vacancies introducing the Jobseeker website, within Directgov, providing customers with access to jobs, and information to help them prepare for and apply for jobs and career advice continuing to explore new ways of making our services more accessible, and keeping under close review the types of services we offer in particular locations, taking account of the increased availability of e-services and internet access.

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Consider key areas when deciding on policy changes by: putting our customers first ensuring that changes improve efficiency and effectiveness testing proposals against our commitment to equality assessing the potential impact of policy changes in rural areas and adjusting policy where appropriate, and supporting DWP's Sustainable Development policy and action plan. Estate Over the next 2 years we will increasingly interact with our customers in ways which are markedly different to the traditional, largely face-to-face, contact we have relied on in the past. We will seek to match our estate to the requirements of these new business channels and to our reduced workforce, whilst continuing to provide access to our services for all our customers. Improve our risk management and compliance by: working towards integrating risk management into our processes and culture allocating individual accountability and responsibilities on key areas of risk to the organisation introducing a standardised approach to risk management throughout the organisation revising our Risk Management Framework developing our performance management information with clear definitions of measures and indicators of successful risk management, and

analysing the reasons for non-compliance, progressing continuous improvement activities, and focusing on key areas including our Standard Operating Model. Improve our systems of internal control by: integrating our Assurance Framework into our planning process, providing greater transparency regarding the effectiveness of controls in place to mitigate our risks, whilst supporting successful delivery of our business objectives through the discharge of clear accountabilities continuing with our Risk and Control Framework, ensuring that risk is properly considered in all new developments and effective controls are implemented as an integral part of processes and systems clearly defining the level of risk our organisation is prepared to live with in the pursuit of the delivery of our business priorities, and rolling out our new mandatory checking regime, the Business Control System, which will provide more robust management information from risk based checking, facilitating the identification and resolution of issues.

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Delivering the Values through our people

Our Values
We share our Values with the Department for Work and Pensions as a whole, but the descriptions for each Value are unique to Jobcentre Plus and describe how we intend to take the Values forward within our own business. Our Values encourage people to work in the same way using a common approach, and they underpin all that we do.

Using our resources efficiently, continuously improving our performance, delivering high and consistent standards and setting a benchmark for the quality of public service.

By treating our customers, colleagues and partners with respect (and expecting the same in return), delivering real equality to our customers and ourselves, and responding positively to feedback from customers, colleagues and partners.

By supporting, challenging and inspiring ourselves so that we can make a difference to our customers lives, and by going the extra mile to help our colleagues and all of our customers, including employers.

By working together with employers, partners, local communities and others to achieve their goals and ours, and by consistently identifying best practice opportunities to enhance our customer service.

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In 2006-07 Jobcentre Plus will continue to go through a time of real change both in the way we deliver our services and the resources we use to deliver them. By the end of March 2007, Jobcentre Plus will have around 68,000 people working for us with more staff in direct customer related roles and work being relocated from London and the South East. We will continue to support all our staff through this period.

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In 2006-07 we aim to:

Ensure our people are best placed to meet our business needs by: focusing on continuing to provide the key skills and development needed to support individuals in their current roles, and developing learning to support new or changing job roles and ways of working continuing to build our leadership capability, equipping our managers to lead, manage, coach, support and develop their people driving up performance through our performance management reward and recognition systems, and identifying and building our capability through talent management, Professional Skills for Government and Investors in People reassessment. Support our people through the transformation of the business by: reducing the levels of uncertainty which some of our staff have about their future roles continuing the implementation of Working Together, a programme of activities aimed at helping us create the working environment, capabilities and ways of working we need to ensure the continued success of Jobcentre Plus embedding our new organisational design ensuring the highest proportion of our people are directly supporting our customers, and ensuring effective HR support for the benefit change programme.

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Manage our resource challenges by: focusing on improving attendance and reducing days lost to sickness absence, and developing strategic and comprehensive workforce plans, which better deploy our skills and enable us to manage our headcount targets. Deliver more effective HR policies and processes by: working within DWP to implement simpler, more business-focused people policies that best support our business, and continuing to build and promote a diverse workforce by not only meeting the legal requirements on diversity and equality but also by striving to be an exemplar in this area.

Work more closely with our people to build a positive relationship by: improving the way we communicate our changes and engage our people, for example we will continue to enable staff to share views and ask questions direct to our Senior Managers via Board on the Road events, Have Your Say, Talk Direct and other initiatives taking forward action to address the issues raised in our annual staff survey, and maintaining a constructive relationship with our trade unions. Modernise our HR services by: continuing to expand the range of learning delivery channels in order to increase the accessibility, timeliness and cost effectiveness of our learning expertly supporting our managers through our HR Business Partners, and working with colleagues across DWP to continue to automate HR administration, providing on-line information on personal data and our HR policies.

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Our structure

We continue to change the shape of our business to meet customer needs through the development of our benefit processing centres, local services, contact centres and close working relationships with our business partners. This is supported by our network of district, regional and national teams.
Our
Customers
Individual Customers Employer Customers

The Shape
Of Our
Business

Benefit Delivery Centres

Contact Centres

Jobcentres

Partners and Providers

Supported by

District / Regional / National Teams

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Our resources

The funding allocated to Jobcentre Plus for the rest of the 2004
Spending Review settlement requires further reductions in annual
expenditure over the next 2 years.
In summary we need to: achieve in-year savings of around 300m per annum in 2006-07 and 2007-08, based on our existing baseline costs, in order to live within the available funding deliver Ministers objectives while reducing headcount, and manage the risks inherent in such a major programme of change. We plan to do this by: managing our reductions while maintaining services to customers implementing our programme of efficiency, which will enable us to reduce our current staff levels, from 71,000 in March 2006 to 68,000 by March 2007 and 65-66,000 by March 2008 using our buildings more efficiently streamlining our running costs reviewing the use of the employment programmes that we fund to ensure the best possible outcomes for our customers at an appropriate cost prioritising our change programme to ensure maximum return on our investment. The challenge is to maintain the transformation of the business already underway alongside additional changes to deliver the scale of efficiencies required. The money we receive to administer and support the delivery of services can be broken down into 4 broad headings. Administration - this covers the salaries of our staff and other general administration expenses such as stationery, telephone costs and investment costs of change. DEL Programme budget - reflects the money we pay to providers in supporting delivery of the New Deal and other types of employment programme provision. Capital - reflects the money invested in upgrading our buildings and IT infrastructure. Estates - covers the rental and on-going running costs of the offices we occupy.

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The chart shows what resources we expect will need to be deployed against these categories through to 2008.
3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 2006-07 2007-08

Administration Capital

DEL programmes Estates

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Towards 2008

This business plan gives you details of our plans for 2006-07. However, the Spending Review 2004 and our current plans take us to March 2008.
In 2007-08 we plan to: complete Pathways rollout in districts from the following dates: 9 districts from March 2007, 11 districts from October 2007 and an additional 11 districts from April 2008, providing national coverage increase adviser support to lone parents create a single virtual network of contact centres, helping improve efficiency and service to customers by ensuring calls go to the next available agent no matter where they are located complete the reduction of our benefit processing sites to around 77 benefit delivery centres review the services we offer and deliver improved telephony and e-services improve our website to provide better access to our interactive e-services improve our services to employers by allowing them to search customer CVs refresh our jobpoints to reflect the requirements of our improved telephony and e-services enable customers to submit information via the internet to signal their intention to claim benefit for Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support and Incapacity Benefit evaluate the success of the Organisation Design implementation against performance targets and headcount reductions, and reduce headcount to around 65-66,000.

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Contributing to DWPs
Public Service Agreement
targets for 2005-08

Jobcentre Plus is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions. Created in June 2001, the Departments principal aim is to promote opportunity and independence for all.
To support this aim, the Department has a number of strategic objectives that are underpinned by the Public Service Agreements setting out the specific targets that must be met. Jobcentre Plus helps make this aim a reality and supports the Department in the delivery of its strategic objectives and the Departmental 5 Year Strategy Opportunity and security throughout life. The strategy identifies 3 key principles for supporting our customers across the life cycle more people in work, choosing to work longer and save more support for families and children, and security and dignity in retirement. This business plan sets out how Jobcentre Plus contributes to the Departments targets, by aiming to achieve all our performance targets.

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Jobcentre Plus Objectives

Jobcentre Plus Our Vision 2005-08

Jobcentre Plus purpose

Work for those who can, and support for those who cannot

Increase the effective supply of labour by promoting work as the best form of welfare and helping unemployed and economically inactive people move into employment Work towards parity of outcomes for ethnic minority customers Pay customers the correct benefit at the right time and protect the benefit system from fraud, error and abuse Provide high-quality and demand-led services to employers, which help fill job vacancies quickly and effectively with well-prepared and motivated employees Help people facing the greatest barriers to employment to compete effectively in the labour market and move into and remain in work Improve continuously the quality, accessibility and delivery of services to all customers Ensure that people receiving working age benefits fulfil their responsibilities while providing appropriate help and support for those without work Increase Jobcentre Plus overall productivity, efficiency and effectiveness

Economic and social impact

We will make a real and lasting difference to peoples lives, and to the wider community, through our expert understanding of the job market and of the help and benefits we can make available

Employer service
We will take the initiative in meeting the needs of our employer customers and search out jobs that best match the potential of individuals, particularly those who most need this help

Customer focus and integrated delivery

We will offer personal, dedicated and informed support for customers who need it most, delivering value for money services through high quality, modern channels that are easy to use

Employee engagement
We will be inspired by, and passionate about, being part of a professional, integrated team that makes a real difference

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Jobcentre Plus Business Priorities 2006-07

Transforming our services

Jobcentre Plus Targets

Job Outcome
To achieve a total points score of 13.5 million based on job outcomes Jobcentre Plus achieves

Average Actual Clearance Times Delivery of performance

To process claims, within specified Average Actual Clearance Times for Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit. The levels for the 3 benefits are: Income Support - 11 days Jobseekers Allowance - 12 days Incapacity Benefit - 18 days

Delivering services more efficiently and effectively

Employer outcome
To ensure at least 86% of employers placing their vacancies with Jobcentre Plus will have a positive outcome

Customer service Delivering the Values through our people

To achieve an 84% customer service level in the delivery of the standards set out in Our Service Standards and the Employers Charters

Monetary value of fraud and error

By March 2007, to ensure that losses from fraud and error in working age Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance amount to no more than current (March 2006) levels of loss or no more than 5.2% of the monetary value of these benefits paid during the year, whichever represents the lower figures (as measured against the 1998 baseline)

Business delivery
To ensure that specified key Jobcentre Plus business processes are delivered efficiently, accurately and to specified standards in 94% of cases checked

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DWP PSA (Public Service Agreement) Targets

1. Halve the number of children in relative lowincome households between 1998-99 and 2010-11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020, including: reducing the proportion of children in workless households by 5% between spring 2005 and spring 2008; and increasing the proportion of parents with care on Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance who receive maintenance for their children to 65% by March 2008 2. Improve childrens communication, social and emotional development so that, by 2008, 50% of children reach a good level of development at the end of the Foundation Stage, and reduce inequalities between the level of development achieved by children in the 20% most disadvantaged areas and the rest of England 3. As a contribution to reducing the proportion of children living in households where no one is working, by 2008: increase the stock of Ofsted-registered childcare by 10% increase the take-up of formal childcare by lower-income families by 50%; and introduce, by April 2005, a successful lighttouch childcare approval scheme 4. As part of the wider objective of full employment in every region, over the 3 years to Spring 2008, and taking account of the economic cycle: demonstrate progress on increasing the employment rate increase the employment rates of disadvantaged groups (lone parents, ethnic minorities, people aged 50 and over, those with the lowest qualifications and those living in local authority wards with the poorest initial labour market position); and significantly reduce the difference between the employment rate of disadvantaged groups and the overall rate

5. By 2008, improve health and safety outcomes in Great Britain through the progressive improvement in the control of risks in the workplace 6. By 2008, be paying Pension Credit to at least 3.2 million pensioner households, while maintaining a focus on the most disadvantaged by ensuring that at least 2.2 million of these households are in receipt of the Guarantee Credit 7. Improve working-age individuals awareness of their retirement provision such that, by 2007 08, 15.4 million individuals are regularly issued a pension forecast and 60,000 successful pension traces are undertaken a year 8. In the 3 years to March 2008: further improve the rights of disabled people and remove barriers to their participation in society, working with other Government departments, including through increasing awareness of the rights of disabled people; increase the employment rate of disabled people, taking account of the economic cycle; and significantly reduce the difference between their employment rate and the overall rate, taking account of the economic cycle 9. Improve Housing Benefit administration by: reducing the average time taken to process a Housing Benefit claim to no more than 48 days nationally, and across the bottom 15% of local authorities to no more than 55 days, by March 2008; increasing the number of cases in the deregulated private rented sector in receipt of Local Housing Allowance to 740,000 by 2008; and increasing the number of cases in receipt of Local Housing Allowance where the rent is paid directly to the claimant to 470,000 by 2008 10.Reduce overpayments from fraud and error in Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Housing Benefit.

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DWP Strategic Objectives

Children
Ensure the best start for all children and end child poverty by 2020

DWP aim
To promote opportunity and independence for all

Working age
Promote work as the best form of welfare for people of working age, while protecting the position of those in greatest need

Pensioners
Combat poverty and promote security and independence in retirement for todays and future pensioners

People with disabilities

Improve the rights and opportunities for disabled people in a fair and inclusive society

Modernisation
Ensure customers receive a high-quality customer service, including levels of accuracy

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How to access Jobcentre Plus Services

Name Employer Direct Telephone No/Contact 0845 6012 001 Text phone 0845 6012 002 Employer Direct Welsh language service Employer Direct online Jobseeker Direct Individual Customers 0845 6014 441 Text phone 0845 6014 442 www.jobcentreplus. gov.uk/postjob 0845 6060 234 Text phone 0845 6055 255 Jobseeker Direct Welsh language service Directgov 0845 6067 890 Text phone 0845 6044 022 www.direct.gov.uk For employers with translation needs to place their vacancies For employers to place their vacancies online Helps customers find the right kind of job: full time or part time, temporary or permanent Helps customers with with translation needs find the right kind of job Services For employers to place their vacancies by phone Availability Open weekdays 8.00 am to 8.00pm, and Saturdays 10.00 am to 4.00 pm Open weekdays 8.00 am to 8.00pm, and Saturdays 10.00 am to 4.00 pm A 24 hour electronic service where employers can place vacancies Open weekdays 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, and Saturdays 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Open weekdays 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, and Saturdays 9.00 am to 1.00 pm

Employer Customers

Enables customers to search for jobs, training courses, career information, voluntary work and childcare providers To make a benefit claim or get more details about a vacancy For more information about any of the New Deal programmes Office opening hours

Customer access phones New Deal Help line Internet

Available in local Jobcentre Plus offices and Jobcentres 0845 6062 626 Text phone 0845 6060 680 www.jobcentreplus. gov.uk Freephone 0800 854 440 Textphone 0800 328 0512 www.targetingbenefit fraud.gov.uk

7am to 11pm, 7 days a week

All Customers

Enables all customers to search through vacancies on our job bank and provides a wide range of help, information and advice to employers on recruitment matters Confidential and anonymous service to members of the public who wish to report benefit fraud 8.30am to 6.30pm, 7 days a week

National Benefit Fraud Hotline

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Calls are charged at local rates from a BT landline, unless otherwise shown. Call charges from mobile phones or other network operators may vary.

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Want to know more? Then take a look at our website

www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

We welcome your feedback. Please send any comments, questions or views about anything in our Business Plan by: Email: Business-plan@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk Post: The Business Planning Team Jobcentre Plus, Level 5D, Caxton House Tothill Street, London SW1H 9NA

Jobcentre Plus is committed to applying the principles of equal opportunities in its programmes and services Produced by Jobcentre Plus Part of the Department for Work and Pensions ISBN: 1-84695-110-0
Ref: BPJCP06/07 (April 2006)