[Hostel/Day centre]

Address

Address

Address

Post Code Date:

Tele:/E-mail Address

Name:

Dear [Claimant’s Work Coach]

The above is a client of [Hostel/ Day centre], a Homelessness charity that works with people who become homeless in London. We have been working with Susan Biss who is your Pan London Homeless Partnership Manager and have developed this letter to support our Clients and yourselves.

The following highlights both the issues affecting our Client and the support we are providing. We understand that most of what we are doing to support the above-named could be included in their efforts to get back into work.

We have identified the following issues affecting this client:

[Please include any relevant health diagnoses including mental health issues, substance abuse etc. Learning or Job preparation] Also include any significant history e.g. length of time street sleeping, history of suffering domestic violence, childhood history if relevant etc.]

Hostel/day centre) is supporting ______in the following way.

[Please include any Courses- name and frequency/length. Especially where this is upskilling/job search etc/ D&A support- name of organisation / MH support- name of organisation / DV support- name of organisation/ Housing support]

[Delete 1, 2 or 3 as appropriate]

1.______is currently on JSA and we have a copy of their JSAg/ Claimant Commitment and would like these activities included as part of their efforts they are making to progress into work.

Because of their circumstances, as listed above, we would also grateful if you would contact [NAMED CONTACT] at Hostel/Day Centre to discuss any issues regarding their availability or actively seeking work before considering a referral to your Decision Maker.

2.______is currently on ESA [WRAG] and we would like these activities included as part of their efforts they are making to progress into work.

Because of their circumstances we would also be grateful if you would contact [NAMED CONTACT] at Hostel/Day Centre to discuss any issues you or the Work Programme Provider [WPP] may have before considering a referral to your Decision Maker.

If you would like to discuss any part of this letter further please do not hesitate to contact me on the

Number/e-mail provided at the top of the letter.

3. Other issues that might affect attendance at interviews with JCP [please specify - eg a series of appointments/sorting out Housing etc that might coincide with their attendance at their JCP Office or WPP ]

We have attached ______’s written consent to discuss their circumstances and fully understand that you cannot discuss our client without their consent.

Yours faithfully

Signed ______[Outreach Worker]

Print Name ______Date ______

Direct dial phone details :------

Client Name NINO______

I, ______[name of client] give permission for Hostel/Day Centre to share any information about my circumstances as set out in this letter with

______JCP Office for as long as I am a client of theirs.

I understand that I will need to complete a consent form with my Jobcentre Plus office to allow them to share my information with Thames Reach.

Signed ______Date ______

------

Advice for Outreach Staff to go with the above:

This letter should be offered to clients making new claims for JSA, who have existing JSA claims or who are claiming ESA [WRAG] and who are currently Homeless or at Risk of Homelessness.

It is designed to support the claimant by informing their Work Coach of any problems affecting them and how they are already being supported by (hostel / day centre). This support can then be included in their ‘Claimant Commitment’ to show what steps they are taking. They do not have to disclose anything they do not wish to disclose.

It is also their choice whether to give permission for information to be shared with ------by ______their Work Coach. That part can be deleted if they do not want to do so. [see below]

Claimants do need to understand that, as part of claiming their benefit if they do not disclose something that might impact on their entitlement, their benefit might be affected.

This letter is designed to avoid this happening by identifying the support already in place. Please ensure that the Claimant is aware of the content of this letter. This is their information if they would like their Work Coach to keep a copy this can be arranged.

Please let us know if there are any changes to the above as soon as possible so we can discuss amendments to their Claimant Commitment if appropriate.

Thank you

Susan Biss London & Home Counties Partnership Manager for Homelessness [JCP]