How the Restart scheme will work
As more information is known, we’ll add details here https://staging.ersa.org.uk/restart
The government’s Plan for Jobs is helping millions of people across the country who have been directly impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19). We know that those who have been out of work for longer periods might need extra help to move back into employment.
The new £2.9 billon Restart scheme announced at the Spending Review on 25 November 2020, will give Universal Credit claimants who have been out of work for at least 12 months enhanced support to find jobs in their local area. Restart will break down any employment barriers that could be holding them back from finding work. Providers will work with employers, local government and other partners to deliver tailored support for individuals.
Over 3 years of referrals, Restart will benefit more than 1 million Universal Credit claimants who are expected to look for and be available for work but have no sustained earnings. The scheme will provide up to 12 months of tailored support for each participant. Early access can be considered on a case by case basis where conversations with a work coach suggest this is the most appropriate route for the individual.
Commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Restart will be delivered across England and Wales in 12 different Contract Package Areas. Providers on DWP’s refreshed Commercial Agreement for Employment and Health Related Services framework (CAEHRS) will be invited to bid. The providers and their delivery partners, including specialist charities and small and medium-sized enterprises, will complement the vital work of Jobcentre Plus with extra expertise, investment, innovation and additional capacity for intensive support.
Bidders will need to show how they will tailor their offer to local conditions in the Contract Package Area and work closely with employers, local government and other service providers to identify skills gaps and growth sectors and complement the wider landscape of support. Bidders’ plans to do this will be evaluated at bid stage and incorporated into contracts.
Through regular contact with all participants, providers will develop a strong understanding of individuals’ employment history, skills, aspirations and support needs to develop the right package of support to help each participant succeed.
For some this might be bespoke training to take advantage of opportunities in a growth sector or to succeed in a major recruitment exercise, for others it might be support to get the right certificates to take up a job in a different industry such as construction or transport or to update skills such as IT.
We want to ensure all participants are given the best support to find employment. Restart will be the first DWP employment programme procured with a customer satisfaction measure built in from the start as an integral part of performance management. DWP has designed robust Customer Service Standards with contractual force which will ensure:
- regular contact with all participants using a variety of methods and channels
- a personalised offer for all participants, tailored to individual and local need
Alongside these protections to ensure that all participants receive regular, personalised support, Restart will use a balanced Payment by Results model. Providers will be incentivised to help as many people as possible into sustained employment: the more people they help, the more outcome payments they will receive.
DWP will work with providers to ensure the scheme is in place as quickly as possible while building on its long experience of successfully delivering large scale schemes. The commercial process will start in December 2020. DWP expects contracts to be awarded in Spring 2021, with go live in Summer 2021.
