This presentation was delivered at the Employment and Skills Conference 2019 by Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice, and Marise Mackie, Head of Employment Devon and Cornwall, Seetec Pluss One year on from the introduction of the Work and Health Programme we take a look at how the rollout is going in the South West and see what impact Universal Credit is having. Marise Mackie, Head of Employment Devon and Cornwall from Pluss, will outline some of the challenges and successes from the last 12 months and share the stories of some of the people they've helped. Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder of Policy in Practice, will provide an updated policy context and share findings of new analysis of Universal Credit. Watch Asher's story (slide 12) here https://youtu.be/pGGUe1zfcPo Watch Tim's story (slide 15) here https://youtu.be/LRZhPsIX37g For more information please visit www.policyinpractice.co.uk, call 0330 088 9242 or email hello@policyinpractice.co.uk

1. Universal Credit and work
and health: Practical
experiences from the front
line
Employment and Skills
Convention 2019

2. Agenda
• Introductions
• An update on Universal Credit
• Sharing the experiences of Pluss
• Universal Credit & Work and Health
• Questions!

3. Speakers
Deven Ghelani
Director and founder
Policy in Practice
Marise Mackie
Head of Employment
Devon and Cornwall
Pluss

4. 444
An update on Universal Credit

5. 555
How is Universal Credit doing?
A quick poll…
- Better than reports suggest?
- The same as reports suggest?
- Worse than reports suggest?

6. • 2m households on Universal
Credit
• Growing by 130,000 per month
• Issues haven’t scaled with the
growth in caseload
• But those who do face
problems struggle
An update on Universal Credit
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
Households on Universal Credit

7. Issues with Universal Credit
23% of customers tell us they delay claiming
Timely applications Debt and overpayments
Fluctuating payments Inflexibility in resolving issues

8. • UC work allowances: increase by £1,000 per year
• Two week run-on for those on existing DWP benefits (JSA, ESA, IS) in addition to
those receiving housing benefit (from July 2020)
• Self employed: assessed on actual income (not MIF) for 12 months
• Deductions from UC: Max rate down from 40% to 30% (from Oct)
• Period for recovery of advances extended from 12 to 16 months (from Oct 2021)
• Delay in increasing the earnings limit that triggers surplus earnings (remains the
same until 2020)
• Slower roll-out of Universal Credit (end now Dec 2023)
• Plus increase in minimum wage & changes in tax allowances
Changes to Universal Credit

10. Marise Mackie
Pluss

11. Marise Mackie
Regional Manager
Changing peoples
lives…

13. Still some way to go…
Disability Employment Gap…
No disability Disability
52%
Autism
15%
Mental Health
7%
Learning Disability
6%
82%

14. Our approach…
• With the right support, anyone can find work
• Personalised and Co-produced
• Employers
- Recruiting in a different way
- Hidden vacancies
- Lightbulb moment
- Tenacity

16. What does the future hold?
What impact is Universal Credit
having on the frontline?
Will we have a new Secretary of
State?
What impact will Brexit have on
employment and austerity?

17. An example Universal Credit case