Star Rating system
DWP is introducing a Star Rating system for its contracted employment provision. Star Ratings will be awarded for each contract a provider supplies. The Star Rating is a four-measure scale, based on a range of measures – four stars is the highest score and one star is the lowest.
Providers will not have to supply extra information or set up different systems for the Star Rating assessment. All data used in the model is based on information or evidence already supplied as part of existing contracts.
Why we have introduced Star Rating
- To provide an insight for Ministers, senior officials and others into the extent to which providers are improving.
- To enable the Department and providers to understand and drive up performance. To enable us to make informed decisions about contract letting, extension and management.
- To support informed customer choice wherever possible.
How we calculate Star Ratings
The Star Rating Model is made up of three key areas:
- Performance outcomes, including Job Outcomes and, where appropriate to the type of provision, Sustained Job Outcomes – 70 per cent weighting.
- Quality of provision – 20 per cent weighting.
- Compliance and contractor Issues – 10 per cent weighting.
Key performance indicators
Each of the three areas has a number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and measures. The scores for these are added together to produce a Star Rating for each contract.
The Job and Sustained Job Outcome KPIs are based on relative assessment. The relative assessment element compares performance against targets set out in each individual contract and ranks these against other contracts delivering the same provision. Points are then awarded to each contract based on where it appears in the ranked order.
The Quality and Compliance and Contractor Issues KPIs are measured against predetermined benchmarks.
Read Definitions of Star Rating key performance indicators for more detail.
Final Star Rating
The final Star Ratings are awarded based on the total number of Star Rating points against a set of benchmarks.
| Star Rating Points | Star Ratings Awarded |
|---|---|
| 75 points and more | 4 Stars |
| from 60 to 74.999 points | 3 Stars |
| from 45 to 59.999 points | 2 Stars |
| Fewer than 45 points | 1 Star |
Read Worked example of how the Star Rating is calculated.
Star Rating and Employment Zones contracts
We published the first Star Rating results for the 24 Employment Zones contracts in June 2008. Read the latest Star Rating results for October 2008 to March 2009 (13 KB) 
From September 2009, Phase 1 of Jobseeker’s Regime Flexible New Deal (JRFND) will replace 12 of the current 24 Employment Zones (EZ) contracts. To facilitate this transition, from 6 April 2009 both EZ stage’s 1 and 2 provision in the EZ’s in JRFND Phase 1 areas will last a maximum of 13 weeks. This is a change from the existing arrangements therefore we are unable to continue Star Rating all 24 EZ contracts after March 2009 as we will not be comparing like with like. From April 2009 we will continue Star Rating the remaining 12 contracts (the relative assessment KPI’s being calculated out of 12 rather than a24) until the transition arrangements for Phase 2 are announced.
Archive
- Star Rating results – October 2007-March 2008 (33KB)
- Star Rating results for April to September 2008 (44KB)
Contact details
If you any queries about Star Rating, please email: starrating@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
