Guidance

Provider memo 05: Process for inappropriate referrals

Updated 23 December 2024

This memo is for Work and Health Programme providers.

Background

The following information will shortly be included in the provider guidance. With immediate effect, you should follow the processes detailed below where yourself or Jobcentre Plus identify that a customer referral has been made in error. These are inappropriate referrals. A referral may be inappropriate because a customer:

• has been referred when they are already taking part in a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) funded provision
• is already in employment
• starts work or has a job offer between referral and start

Summary and action

Situations may arise where customers are referred to the Work and Health Programme but are an inappropriate referral. When the error is discovered by Jobcentre Plus, they will telephone you to advise you what has happened.

If you identify the error, you should advise the jobcentre who made the referral or your nominated contact as soon as possible.

Actions where a customer is referred and is already taking part in DWP funded provision or is in employment prior to referral

There may be instances when a customer is incorrectly referred to you when the customer is:

• already taking part in a DWP funded provision
• already in employment prior to referral

The error could be identified by either Jobcentre Plus or yourself. When Jobcentre Plus identify the error they will contact you to notify you.

Following the notification or identification you will be required to take the most appropriate action. The action you take in Provider Referrals and Payments (PRaP) will depend on the status of the referral:

• where the error is discovered before the customer has started on the programme, you are required to reject the referral in PRaP recording a rejection reason of ‘Other’ – and refer the customer back to Jobcentre Plus

• where the error is discovered after the customer has started on the programme, you are required to refer the customer back to Jobcentre Plus – you should complete a PRaP 14 which should be sent to the PRaP Operational Support Team (POST) email [email protected], who will make arrangements for the referral to be backed out.

Actions to take when a customer starts work or has a job offer between referral and start

In exceptional circumstances Jobcentre Plus may refer a customer who may report that they have a job offer or have started employment or self-employment in between their referral interview with Jobcentre Plus and engaging with you. In these circumstances the customer becomes ineligible for the programme.

The error could be identified by either Jobcentre Plus or yourself. Where Jobcentre Plus identify the error, they will inform you.

Where you identify the error you should contact your nominated contact within Jobcentre Plus and notify them.

Following the notification or identification of the error you are required to take the most appropriate action. The action you take in PRaP will depend on the status of the referral:

• where the error is discovered before the customer has started on the programme, you are required to reject the referral in PRaP recording a rejection reason of ‘Did Not Attend’ and refer the customer back to Jobcentre Plus

• where the error is discovered after the customer has started on the programme, you are required to refer the customer back to Jobcentre Plus – you should complete a PRaP 14 which should be sent to POST by email to [email protected], who will make arrangements for the referral to be backed out

Further information contact details

If you have any queries about this memo consult your performance manager in the first instance or contact the following email address: [email protected]

From: DWP Work and Health Programme live running policy team.