This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Work Programme Notification & Referral Procedure'.

Work Programme Inappropriate Referrals 
Guidance 

Background to Inappropriate Referrals 
3. Inappropriate referrals may happen because: 
  Claimant is ineligible for the Work Programme (WP)  
  Claimant is referred using the wrong opportunity type  
  Claimant has been referred more than once to the same WPP  
  Claimant has been referred to more than one WPP  
  Claimant has had the wrong type of WP referral interview 
4. If Jobcentre Plus discovers a referral error they will immediately telephone 
the WPP nominated contact. 
5. If the WPP discovers a referral error they will immediately contact the 
Advisory Team Manager (ATM) at the Jobcentre concerned. 
Claimant is ineligible for the Work Programme  
6. Telephone the WPP and ask them to pause their interaction with the 
claimant. 
7. Phone the claimant to explain they have been inappropriately referred to 
the WP and at what point they would have been referred. Discuss whether 
they want to continue on the WP or return to the JCP offer. The discussion 
should include: 
  If they stay with WP:  

that it is a 104 week commitment regardless of changes to 
employment or benefit status  

that they will not be able to access any other JCP support  

what benefit conditions they will still be required to meet e.g. 
Jobsearch Reviews, repeat WCAs etc  

if their participation is mandatory they could be subject to 
sanctions if they do not do what the WPP tells them to  

if their participation is voluntary emphasise the benefits of 
remaining with the WPP  

if they are voluntary participants and their circumstances change 
that they may become subject to sanctions if they do not carry 
out activities that the WPP asks them to.  
  If they return to JCP:  

explain what support JCP could offer them  

if a claimant will be mandated to the WP in the future; and  

the date they will return to the WP. 

Claimant Stays with WPP 
8. If the claimant decides to stay with the WPP: 
  contact the WPP to advise them to continue activity as normal  
  send a change of circumstances form WP07b to advise of any changes 
required e.g. a mandatory claimant is now voluntary 
Claimant Returns to JCP Offer 
9. If the claimant decides to return to JCP  
  Check the ‘Result:’ field in the claimant’s ‘View follow up’ window in 
LMS. If the result is ‘Not Know’ or ‘Opp Offer’ contact the WPP to ask 
them to take appropriate action to reject or cancel the referral.  
  Set a workflow for 5 working days to confirm the WPP has 
rejected/cancelled the referral by checking the ’Result:’ field in the 
claimant’s ‘View Follow Up’ window of LMS shows ‘DNS’ (cancelled) or 
‘Rejected’.  
  If the ‘Results’ field shows ‘Started Opp’ notify your locally agreed JCP 
single point of contact to send a notification to the Provider Referral 
and Payment (PRaP) Operational Support Team (POST) to “back-out” 
the referral to stop any payments being made to the Provider  
  Take the next appropriate steps for the claimant to discuss JCP 
support.  
Claimant is referred using the wrong 
opportunity type 

10. Check the ‘Result:’ field in the claimant’s ‘View follow up’ window in LMS.  
11. If the ‘Result:’ field shows ‘Started Opp’ notify the WPP on form WP07b if 
there is a change in the claimants WP conditionality, e.g. claimant should 
have been a voluntary participant. The claimant will remain in the referred 
wrong opportunity type and no further activity is required. 
12. If the result is ‘Not Known’ or ‘Opp Offer’ contact the WPP to ask them to 
take appropriate action to reject or cancel the referral. 
13. Set a workflow for 5 working days to confirm the WPP has 
rejected/cancelled the referral by checking the ’Result:’ field in the claimant’s 
‘View Follow Up’ window of LMS shows ‘DNS’ (cancelled) or ‘Rejected.’. If 
they have not, contact the WPP by telephone. 
14. When the ’Result:’ field in the claimant’s ‘View Follow Up’ window of LMS 
shows ‘DNS’ (cancelled) or ‘Rejected refer the claimant to the correct 
opportunity. The new referral is an administrative task and does not require a 
claimant intervention. 

Claimant has been referred more than once to 
the same WPP  

15. The table below deals with seven different scenarios and the action to be 
taken for each scenario when 2 referrals have been made to the same WPP.  
16. Select the scenario which matches the set of circumstances for the 2 
referrals you have made and follow the action required for each referral in the 
end column.  
17. NB: LMS will not allow you to refer a claimant more than once to the same 
WPP using the same opportunity type. 
 
 
 
 
   
Correct/ 
Attached 
Action 
or not 
Incorrect Op 
Type
 
1.   Correct Op Type  Before 
No action 
Attachment 
Incorrect Op Type  Before 
Contact the WPP to ask them to take 
Attachment  appropriate action to reject or cancel the 
referral 
   
2.   Correct Op Type  Before 
Contact the WPP to ask them to take 
Attachment  appropriate action to reject or cancel the 
referral 
Incorrect Op Type  After 
Notify the WPP on form WP07b if there 
Attachment  is a change in the claimants WP 
conditionality, e.g. claimant should have 
been a voluntary participant. The 
claimant will remain in the wrong 
opportunity type and no further activity is 
required. 
   
3.   Correct Op Type  After 
No action 
Attachment 
Incorrect Op Type  Before 
Contact the WPP to ask them to take 
Attachment  appropriate action to reject or cancel the 
referral 
   
4.   Correct Op Type  After 
No action 
Attachment 
Incorrect Op Type  After 
Notify your locally agreed JCP single 
Attachment  point of contact to send a notification to 

 
the POST to “back-out” the referral to 
stop any payments being made to the 
WPP 
   
5.   Incorrect Op Type  Before 
Contact the WPP to ask them to take 
Attachment  appropriate action to reject or cancel 
Incorrect Op Type  Before 
both referrals. Set a workflow for 5 
Attachment  working days to confirm the WPP has 
rejected/cancelled the referral by 
checking the ’Result:’ field in the 
claimant’s ‘View Follow Up’ window of 
LMS shows ‘DNS’ (cancelled) or 
‘Rejected. If they have not contact the 
WPP by telephone. Once cancelled 
make a referral using the correct 
opportunity type 
   
6.   Incorrect Op Type  Before 
Contact the WPP to ask them to take 
Attachment  appropriate action to reject or cancel the 
referral 
Incorrect Op Type  After 
Notify the WPP on form WP07b if there 
Attachment  is a change in the claimants WP 
conditionality, e.g. claimant should have 
been a voluntary participant. The 
claimant will remain in the wrong 
opportunity type and no further activity is 
required. 
   
7.   Incorrect Op Type  After 
Notify your locally agreed JCP single 
Attachment  point of contact to send a notification to 
Incorrect Op Type  After 
the POST to “back-out” of both referrals 
Attachment  to stop any payments being made to the 
WPP and make a referral using the 
correct opportunity type. 
Claimant has been referred to more than one 
WPP  

18. Telephone all the WPP and ask them to pause their interactions with the 
claimant. 
19. Phone the claimant to explain they have been referred to more than one 
WPP. Discuss with the claimant which WPP they would like to remain with. 
(Note: the claimant must be given the choice even if one of the WPP has 
already attached them). 

20. Contact the WPP that the claimant has chosen to advise them to continue 
to work with them as normal. 
21. For the WPP that the claimant will no longer be working with check the 
’Result:’ field in the claimant’s ‘View follow up’ screen in LMS. If the result is 
‘Not Known’ or ‘Opp Offer’ contact the WPP to ask them to take appropriate 
action to reject or cancel the referral. 
22. Set a workflow for 5 working days to confirm the WPP has 
rejected/cancelled the referral by checking the ’Result:’ field in the claimant’s 
‘View Follow Up’ window of LMS shows ‘DNS’ (cancelled) or ‘Rejected. If they 
have not, contact them to remind them that they must do so. 
23. If the ‘results’ field shows ‘Started Opp’ notify your locally agreed JCP 
single point of contact to send a notification to the POST to “back-out” the 
referral to stop any payments being made to the WPP. 
Claimant has had the wrong type of WP referral 
interview 

24. If it is identified that a mandatory participation claimant has been referred 
to the WP using a voluntary interview or vice versa, the claimant must be 
contacted by phone and offered the chance to attend the Jobcentre for a face 
to face meeting. 
25. At the meeting explain the key messages to the claimant as per the Work 
Programme Referral, Volunteer Claimants (Volunteering for the Work 
Programme) e.g. the sanction regime, and issue the appropriate mandatory or 
voluntary leaflet and mandatory letter. Sanctions cannot be applied unless the 
correct form and letter is issued. 
26. If the claimant does not want to attend a face to face meeting then the 
appropriate referral messages must be explained to them over the phone and 
the correct leaflet and letter posted to them.