Restart programme: suggestions for strategies to avoid

Just that really.

We have seen the finish of the Work Programme and what a waste of resources that was. I thought it seemed a good time to evaluate the restart programme and to investigate how it might be avoided by people unable to benefit from it.

I look forward to any views

Been thinking would this FOI (28/01/2015) be relevant to this new scheme? Not a mandatory requirement for claimants to fill in or sign any forms or documents.
As on the Work Program they used to farm out your details/cv.

Also are there any statistics of how successful the Work Program was, in getting claimants into work?



https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/310933/response/760040/attach/html/3/FOI%20152%20Rev.pdf.html

My thoughts are based on this document: https://mrfrankzola.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/restart-specification-itt-v1.pdf

Self-employment

2.4 If the claimant is seeking to start or grow their own business they should be referred instead to specialist self-employment support where available.

If your work coach start talking about the Restart-program, mention that you are interested in starting your own business. This should dodge a referral to the Restart-program. I have been on NEA twice already with two business ideas that didn't go anywhere. It's completely voluntary and could "waste" a couple of months.

Own activity
Make yourself busy on your own terms. There's plenty of online courses that are free (if you are on benefit). Also there are other organisations that helps unemployed. Perhaps combine these two, a course that improves your employability. It will be difficult for your work coach to argue that you need the Restart-scheme if you are already doing something similar. Don't worry about deadlines on courses. My partner been on an online two-week course for over a year already. He still chats with his tutor once a week or so.

Inappropriate Refferals

2.154 An inappropriate referral is defined as a referral made where a Participantis either not eligible or not suitable for the provision(see section beginning at 2.1)

...

2.157 Likewise, where the eligibility criteria aremet, but not the suitability criteria, the Participantwill be given the choice to continue on the provision, unlessthey are already on another DWPcontracted employment programme. In such circumstances,they will be removed from the Restartprovision to enable them to continue on the first provision.

If you still get referred, it's not too late.

The Restart scheme is not a mandatory.  It seems to be operating akin to Jobseeker Directions/UC equivalent.

Most of the current programmes/courses can easily be swerved using the many techniques on this site and others.

I think this scheme may have been introduced to reduce the number of Jobcentre staff, many have been recruited on 12 month contracts.

Jara wrote:My thoughts are based on this document: https://mrfrankzola.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/restart-specification-itt-v1.pdf

Self-employment

2.4 If the claimant is seeking to start or grow their own business they should be referred instead to specialist self-employment support where available.

If your work coach start talking about the Restart-program, mention that you are interested in starting your own business. This should dodge a referral to the Restart-program. I have been on NEA twice already with two business ideas that didn't go anywhere. It's completely voluntary and could "waste" a couple of months.

Not sure if this is a good strategy. You may be placed onto the New Enterprise Allowance scheme:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-enterprise-allowance-campaign

which, if I understand correctly, pays out much less than UC.

Miguel1975 wrote:

Jara wrote:My thoughts are based on this document: https://mrfrankzola.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/restart-specification-itt-v1.pdf

Self-employment

2.4 If the claimant is seeking to start or grow their own business they should be referred instead to specialist self-employment support where available.

If your work coach start talking about the Restart-program, mention that you are interested in starting your own business. This should dodge a referral to the Restart-program. I have been on NEA twice already with two business ideas that didn't go anywhere. It's completely voluntary and could "waste" a couple of months.

Not sure if this is a good strategy. You may be placed onto the New Enterprise Allowance scheme:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-enterprise-allowance-campaign

which, if I understand correctly, pays out much less than UC.

It does pay out much less, but to actually start it you need to have an approved business plan. It can take weeks or months to work on one, only to find out the business idea you had won't work anyway.

I was just reading a thread on another forum:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6263325/question-about-the-new-enterprise-allowance-payment

and it looks like NEA is paid on top of UC. Can anybody confirm that? I actually do have a business plan but I don't want to give it to the DWP. I only want the clock to start when I'm ready.

Miguel1975 wrote:I was just reading a thread on another forum:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6263325/question-about-the-new-enterprise-allowance-payment

and it looks like NEA is paid on top of UC. Can anybody confirm that? I actually do have a business plan but I don't want to give it to the DWP. I only want the clock to start when I'm ready.

5.55. The NEA weekly allowance is disregarded:

for UC purposes
for Income Tax purposes
for National Insurance (but not Class 2 contributions) purposes
for Tax credit purposes
Housing Benefit purposes
for child maintenance purposes

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-enterprise-allowance-phase-2-provider-guidance/new-enterprise-allowance-phase-2-provider-guidance

Miguel1975 wrote:I was just reading a thread on another forum:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6263325/question-about-the-new-enterprise-allowance-payment

and it looks like NEA is paid on top of UC. Can anybody confirm that? I actually do have a business plan but I don't want to give it to the DWP. I only want the clock to start when I'm ready.

When I was on NEA I mostly worked on my business plan with the third party organisation I been assigned to. My work coach only knew the very basics of my business idea. After my business plan was approved by the third party I started getting NEA payments. Also had to provide proof to my work coach that I was running a business. A couple of invoices was enough, either for supplies or actual customers.

I also had the option to borrow money but choose not to.

Maybe someone should start a new thread about the NEA/ New Enterprise Allowance .????

Jara wrote:

When I was on NEA I mostly worked on my business plan with the third party organisation I been assigned to.

If it's not a secret, what organisation was this? I hope not the *cough* Shaw Trust?

Are yes, the good old Bore Trust so many of these great 'providers' around providing ''tailored specialist support'' I dont which! to choose .