Flexible New Deal: what you can expect and what we expect from you
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Flexible New Deal
Flexible New Deal: What you can expect and what we expect from you (FND1 10/09)
Page 2
Jobcentre Plus and The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service are all
part of the Department for Work and Pensions. Each part delivers services to
different groups of people, but the whole Department is committed to meeting a
single set of customer service standards:
• Right treatment
• Right result
• On time
• Easy access
The leaflet ‘Our service standards’ explains more about what these standards mean for
you as a customer of Jobcentre Plus.
Some of the help you get is delivered for Jobcentre Plus by other organisations. We
call these organisations ‘providers’. You will still be a customer of Jobcentre Plus, and
these customer service standards still apply.
You can talk to us if you’re unhappy with the service you get from any provider working
on our behalf.
Contents (page 3)
Contents
About Flexible New Deal 4
What we expect from you 6
What happens if you don’t meet your responsibilities? 7
How will a sanction affect you? 8
How can you get money if you get a sanction? 9
How is a sanction decided? 10
What to do if you get a sanction 11
What to do if you get a 26 week sanction 12
If you’ve finished Flexible New Deal and still have a sanction 13
How to make a complaint 14
About Flexible New Deal (page 4)
About Flexible New Deal
Flexible New Deal aims to help you find a job, or to get training or work experience to help you find a job.
It is delivered for Jobcentre Plus by other organisations, which we call ‘providers’.
Providers are professional organisations who will offer you support that’s tailored to meet your needs.
They will make sure that your time with them is a positive and helpful one.
As part of Flexible New Deal, you and the provider will:
• discuss what help you need to find work
• draw up an action plan of things you’ll do to improve your chances of getting a job
• treat each other fairly
• attend meetings or take phone calls at the times agreed.
Part of Flexible New Deal includes you doing work experience for four weeks.
You may also get training and other support to help you find a job.
We hope that if you follow your action plan, you’ll leave Flexible New Deal because you’ve got a job.
About Flexible New Deal (page 5)
Flexible New Deal can last for a year. During this time you’re still a customer of Jobcentre Plus and:
• must attend the Jobcentre every two weeks while you get Jobseeker’s Allowance
• should report any change of circumstances to Jobcentre Plus, and
• can claim the cost of travel to job interviews.
If you don’t get a job while with the Flexible New Deal provider, then your Jobcentre will work closely
with you to build on the skills and experience you’ve gained.
What we expect from you (page 6)
What we expect from you
We’ve explained what you can expect from Flexible New Deal, but there are also things we expect from you.
Your responsibilities are to:
• make the most of the help your provider gives
• attend meetings or take phone calls at the times agreed
• complete any activities that you and the provider have agreed
• continue to actively look for work
• attend the Jobcentre every two weeks while you get Jobseeker’s Allowance, and
• tell Jobcentre Plus about any change in your circumstances.
If you don’t meet these responsibilities, your benefit may be affected.
What happens if you don’t meet your responsibilities? (page 7)
What happens if you don’t meet your responsibilities?
If you don’t meet your Flexible New Deal responsibilities your Jobseeker’s Allowance
could be stopped for a fixed number of weeks. This is called a ‘sanction’.
You could get a Flexible New Deal sanction if you:
• fail to attend the initial meeting with your provider
• refuse to complete any activity you’ve agreed with the provider
• give up your place on Flexible New Deal, or
• lose your place on Flexible New Deal through unacceptable behaviour.
You could also get a sanction if you refuse a job or leave a job without good reason.
It’s very important that you tell your provider i you’re having problems
or can’t take part in Flexible New Deal at any time for any reason.
Remember — if you are unsure of your Flexibl New Deal responsibilities,
or need any further information or explanation, talk to your provider or a Jobcentre Plus adviser.
How will a sanction affect you? (page 
How will a sanction affect you?
A sanction means that your Jobseeker’s Allowance is stopped for a fixed number of
weeks. Sanctions last longer if you’ve already had a sanction before, Sanctions can last:
• 2 weeks — the first time you don’t meet your responsibilities
• 4 weeks — if, within 12 months of a first sanction, you don’t meet your
responsibilities again, and
• 26 weeks — if you’ve already had two or more sanctions within the last 12 months,
and don’t meet your responsibilities again.
Important
If you get a sanction and you have a joint
claim, your partner will get an amount equal
to a single person’s Jobseeker’s Allowance
for as long as the sanction lasts, if they are
entitled to this.
How you can get money if you get a sanction (page 9)
How you can get money if you get a sanction
If your Jobseeker’s Allowance is stopped because of a sanction, you aren’t
automatically entitled to get help. You will have to show that you’re suffering
financial hardship.
You could get a reduced rate of benefit if:
• you have children
• you or your partner are pregnant
• you or your partner are ill or disabled, or
• you or your partner have significant caring responsibilities.
You can’t get any help if you don’t fall into one of the above categories.
Your Jobcentre Plus adviser will explain how to apply.
How is a sanction decided? (page 10)
How is a sanction decided?
If your provider or Jobcentre Plus think you’ve not met your responsibilities, they can report this.
An impartial decision maker in Jobcentre Plus will look at the report, and you’ll normally be asked
to write down what happened and why.
It is important that you speak to your provider or a Jobcentre Plus adviser about this so that they can give you advice.
The decision maker will look at information from you and other people to see it you had good reasons for not meeting
your Flexible New Deal responsibilities. If the decision maker decides you didn’t have a good reason,
or that you lost your place on Flexible New Deal because of your behaviour, then you will get a sanction.
Remember — a Jobcentre Plus adviser can explain about sanctions, and what to do if you get one.
You need to make sure you meet your responsibilities so that you don’t get a sanction.
What to do if you get a sanction (page 11)
What to do if you get a sanction
Even if you have a sanction and your benefit is stopped, you should still attend the Jobcentre or Flexible New Deal
provider’s offices every time you’re asked to.
If you do you may still get any other benefits you maybe claiming, such as Housing Benefit.
It you keep in touch with your provider, they can still help you to find a job or to rejoin Flexible New Deal.
We want you to stay with Flexible New Deal because we’re committe to giving you the best possible help to find job. That’s why:
• if your benefit is stopped, we can still help you find a job
• if you don’t start your Flexible New Deal when you were supposed to, or you’ve let before you should,
we’ll work with you to rejoin Flexible New Deal as quickly as possible, and
• if you stop getting Jobseeker’s Allowance but claim again within 26 weeks, you’ll rejoin Flexible New Deal.
What to do if you get a 26 week sanction (page 12)
What to do if you get a 26 week sanction
If you get a 26 week sanction, you must stay in contact with your Flexible New Deal provider.
Your sanction could be ended early if your provider can give us evidence to show that you are serious about meeting
your responsibilities for the rest of your Flexible New Deal.
To do this, you should meet with your provider. Together you will discuss your current action plan, and make any changes you both agree to.
Your provider will also ask you to sign a form to confirm that you understand what you’re agreeing to do,
and that you’ll complete the actions that you’ve agreed.
Your Flexible New Deal provider will send this form to Jobcentre Plus, who will review how long your sanction lasts.
Important
The earliest that Jobcentre Plus can review your sanction is after four weeks.
If you’ve finished Flexible New Deal and still have a sanction (page 13)
If you’ve finished Flexible New Deal and still have a sanction
If this is your first 26 week sanction
Even if part of your sanction is outstanding after Flexible New Deal,
you may get money when you claim income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, as long as at least four weeks of the sanction have passed.
Your Jobcentre Plus adviser will help you to do this.
If this is your second 26 week sanction
If you get another 26 week sanction, the sanction will still apply after your Flexible New Deal.
You won’t be able to get Jobseeker’s Allowance until the whole of the sanction time has finished,
unless you can show that you are facing financial hardship – see page 9.
Remember — if you are still unsure of your Flexible New Deal responsibilities, or need any further information or explanation,
talk to your Jobcentre Plus adviser. Your Jobcentre Plus adviser is there to help.
How to make a complaint (page 14)
How to make a complaint
Providers should give the same standard of service as Jobcentre Plus.
If you have any complaints about any aspect of Flexible New Deal, raise them with your provider.
Your provider will have their own complaints procedures that they’ll explain at your first meeting.
If you are not satisfied with the way the provider deals with your complaint, get in touch with your Jobcentre Plus adviser at any time.
The leaflet ‘Our service standards’ explains more about how to complain to Jobcentre Plus.
You can get a copy online at www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk or from any Jobcentre.
Flexible New Deal Criticism
Flexible New Deal guidance booklet
So here we have it. Flexible New Deal was planned for having information given to the jobseeker before they commenced stating responsibility of the provider, a charter, the clients responsibilities and expectations, and the complaints procedure including a Flexible New Deal Ombudsman that clients can use. I guess 1 out of 4 isn’t too bad… for Jobcentre Plus!
Flexible New Deal Sanctions
So, surprise surprise, 6 pages of the book is dedicated to sanctions! The information isn’t accurate though, however. The information states that if you do not meet your responsibilities that your provider may sanction you for 2 weeks, 4 weeks or 26 weeks on a sliding scale starting from the minimum going to the highest on the number of previous offences committed and not the severity of the offense.
What they didn’t mention although they also included information introducing Flexible New Deal, was (including but not limited to):
- Providers are contractually obligated to check at all times that you are entitled to claim Jobseekers Allowance, reporting any doubts with the National Benefit Fraud Helpline or alternatively notifying Jobcentre Plus. This could be overhearing your leisure plans claiming you are unavailable for work because going on holiday.
- That Providers can award variable sanctions which can be as much as a 6 month sanction for first offence for refusing/failing to apply for a job the provider gives you. This could be as simple as not meeting over optimistic targets or a client refusing to apply for a non-sustainable zero hour contract job with an employment agency. In this booklet there is NO mention of these type of sanctions giving the impression it is limited to 2 weeks sanction for misbehaving.
- That Providers are muzzled (as a result of New Deal complaints) and prevented from responding to letters by Member’s of Parliament (MPs). Providers have to contact Jobcentre Plus to be consulted on what to say in their response.
Flexible New Deal Complaints
The single page on complaints was rather pointless. It doesn’t outline any procedure of how to complain and there is still no mention of the promised Flexible New Deal Ombudsman. There is no information of a charter and no mention of the responsibilities of the provider.
New Deal…
New Deal didn’t have any information booklet, I wish I received it so I knew it was 2 week sanction and not 6 months as the Jobcentre stated.
Popularity: unranked
Link Summary
- Flexible New Deal: Customer identity checks
- A4e to lose Flexible New Deal contract for fraud: other training providers also under investigation
- New Deal fraud investigation: Reed in Partnership
- Flexible New Deal Discussion
- Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System
- 1,869 fraud tip offs in the first half of New Deal
4 Responses to “Flexible New Deal: what you can expect and what we expect from you”
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Please Note: Jobseekers were also supposed to receive a statement mentioning how the provider is paid (i.e. service fees and bonuses).
The guidance booklet FND1 doesn’t state anything about this whatsoever.
We obviously know the Providers aren’t doing this for nothing however you might be surprised to know that there is two different types of outcome – one for jobs lasting 13 weeks and another for 26 weeks.
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What sanctions are give to the companies. thats what i want to know.. iots all about punishing the unemployed.
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Sanctions for companies?!
They don’t get any. Even if they are suspected of fraud they just pay back the amount – no fines, fees, compensation or surcharges.
No civil or criminal penalties.
Not even a mention in the news in some cases. Alot of investigations were kept extremely quiet.
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