Social Security Department: Increase in Full-time Equivalent Positions

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A decision made on 16 August 2012:

Decision Reference: MD-S-2012-0070
Decision Summary Title :	Increase of Social Security Department’s full-time equivalent (FTE) in line with proposals contained in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2013 -2015		Date of Decision Summary:	16 August 2012
Decision Summary Author:	Project Manager		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Increase of Social Security Department’s full-time equivalent (FTE) in line with proposals contained in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2013 -2015		Date of Written Report:	16 August 2012
Written Report Author:	Project Manager		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Increase of Social Security Department’s full-time equivalent (FTE) in line with proposals contained in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2013 -2015
Decision(s): The Minister has decided to seek permission from the Minister for Treasury and Resources to increase the Social Security Department’s full-time equivalent positions by 66.5 from 1 September 2012 bringing the total FTE to 238.5 (including 79.5 re-charged to the Social Security and Health Insurance Funds) as proposed in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2012-2015 annex page 91.
Reason(s) for Decision: The need for additional human resources has been identified as a result of the ongoing issues faced due to the economic downturn and the continued rise in unemployment. Growth in staffing levels is required to maintain service delivery, administration of benefits and the commitment to address the strategic priority to ‘Get People into Work’ through a number of initiatives as detailed on pages 86-87of the Annex to the Medium Term Financial Plan 2013-2015.
Resource Implications: Existing budget allocation for temporary staff is available to meet the cost of additional permanent employees.
Action required: Project Manager to request Minister for Treasury and Resources approval for the increase in FTE.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Social Security Department: Increase in Full-time Equivalent Positions

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SoCIAL SECURITY MINISTER

Increase to the Full-time Equivalent for the Social Security Department

Purpose of Report

For the Minister for Social Security to seek permission from the Minister for Treasury and Resources to increase the Full-time Equivalent (FTE) for the Social Security Department as detailed in the growth bid proposals outlined in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2013-2015 submission.

Background

As set out in the MTFP Annex the Back to Work and Employment Services summary of Outline Business Cases identifies the following:

‘This summary presents the Business Cases along with their associated cost projections:

Back to Work Projects
Employment Schemes & Incentives
Anti-Discrimination Legislation
Private Sector Rental Support

Summary of Growth requests 2013-2015:

Back to Work Projects - £2.16m by 2015; and Employment Schemes and Incentives - £4.66m by 2015. Due to predicted economic conditions over the next 3 years, unemployment is assumed to increase further, beyond current record levels, before stabilising. Therefore the Strategic Plan’s most urgent priority is to ‘Get People into Work’. Government will, over the 3 year period, aim to implement a ‘Back to Work’ policy leading to lower unemployment. This will be achieved through investment in a broad range of support schemes to help locally qualified unemployed people improve their employability and find employment in order to support themselves and their families. This activity will include further investment in existing schemes to support the increasing levels of those unemployed:

Workzone
Advance to Work
Advance Plus
WorkWise

We will also create a central Back To Work Employer Engagement team to maximise

opportunities with employers for the recruitment of locally qualified unemployed people. This team will work across all support schemes and initiatives. Additionally we will invest in schemes to improve the employability of those groups furthest away from unemployment (e.g. Long Term unemployed) and to encourage employers to take on those who are locally unemployed and reduce reliance on migrant labour (Job Substitution). Starting in 2012 investment will be made in the following initiatives:

Employment Grant – incentive for employers to recruit the long term unemployed;
Long Term Unemployed Unit - focused support to improve employability of the long

term unemployed;

Sector Specific Training Initiatives – extensive programme of training to be

developed with specific industries to place higher numbers of unemployed locals

into work;

Job Training Fund – Fund to source short term interventions to improve

employability;

Work Readiness Fund – Fund to provide training in areas such as motivation, C.V.

writing, confidence building, numeracy and literacy;

Job Clubs – supported group sessions to improve employment search;
Employment Projects – activities to improve employability for those with significant

barriers that limit commercial work placements opportunities (e.g. Environment

projects); and

Targeted Employment Grant – a subsidy scheme to place specific unemployed

groups into positions with employers – aimed at those furthest from employment.’

In addition the demand for Income Support will continue to grow due to the high levels of unemployment. This leads to the need for additional staff in the following areas:

Back to Work	11
Income Support	11
Advance Plus	6
Advance To Work	1
Long Term Unemployed Unit	11
Work Zone	25.5
Job Clubs	1
Total	66.5

As a result of the growth in demand for the benefits and services administered by the Social Security Department the need for additional human resources has been identified to maintain the increase in service delivery. Currently many of these roles are being filled by temporary staff. This growth in permanent staffing takes into consideration the latest economic assumptions for unemployment, including the projected rise associated directly and indirectly with the changes to Low Value Consignment Relief.

Recommendation

That the Minister for Social Security seeks approval for the increase in full-time equivalent for the Social Security Department staffing levels from 147 (plus 25 Advance To Work transferred from the department of Education Sport and Culture) by 66.5 to an overall total of 238.5 from all funding streams, of which 79.5 which are re-charged to the Social Security and Health Insurance Funds. This decision is subject to approval from the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as proposed in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2012-2015 annex (page 91).