Work Focused Interviews for Partners and Enhanced New Deal for Partners Qualitative Evaluation: Phase 2
Research Report No. 386
by Andrew Thomas and Rita Griffiths
Work Focused Interviews for Partners (WFIP) and enhanced New Deal for Partners (NDP) were introduced in April 2004. This report provides a view of the operation of WFIPs and participation in the NDP at a point approximately 18 months since the start of these initiatives in April 2004.
Partners of working age benefit claimants are required to attend a WFIP with an adviser to discuss work options. Participation on NDP is voluntary and allows partners to get assistance with job search and to access training and receive information about measures designed to make work pay, such as in-work benefits and Tax Credits.
WFIPs and NDP form part of the policy to extend Jobcentre Plus services to all customers, bringing support and provision for partners into line with other groups, such as lone parents. The aim of WFIPs is to increase take up of NDP and to encourage greater numbers of partners to enter or re-enter employment. Both initiatives are intended to contribute to reducing workless households, and in particular reducing the numbers of children living in workless households as part of the aim to reduce child poverty.
The Department for Work and Pensions commissioned Insite Research and Consulting to carry out a qualitative evaluation of the programme using face to face interviews with partners, claimants, advisers and other Jobcentre Plus delivery staff. This report presents findings from the second phase of fieldwork, undertaken in late 2005 and early 2006.
October 2006
ISBN 1 84712 093 8
