[ Universal Credit: fact checking myths and misconceptions about universal credit ]
“Following your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) case reference FS50809754, the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) has conducted a further review of the exemptions applied to FOI2018/04970 and decided to no longer rely on all of the exemptions previously applied.
You asked:
‘………Please provide a copy of the contract, agreement or service level agreement you have for your allocation of £39 million* to Citizens Advice ” to provide Universal Support from April 2019’…….” *[+ £12 million to Citizens Advice Scotland ]
I now attach the grant agreements between the DWP and Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, dated 28 September 2018, with revised redactions.”
[ IE: Redactions removed from Annexes 3, 4 and 6, with exceptions for personal data. ] – emphasis added
FOI2018/04970 reply: ‘Universal Support: £39 million for Citizens Advice‘ – 9 August 2019
Documents
- Grant Agreement for Citizens Advice – pdf 43 pages
Redacted copy – “Redactions at Annex 3, 4 and 6 are due to commercial interests/sensitivity”
ANNEX 3 –Citizens Advice Service Design
ANNEX4 –Key Performance Indicators
ANNEX 6–Payment Profile - Grant Agreement for Citizens Advice Scotland – pdf 43 pages
Redacted copy – “Redactions at Annex 3, 4 and 6 are due to commercial interests/sensitivity”
ANNEX 3 –Citizens Advice Service Design
ANNEX4 –Key Performance Indicators
ANNEX 6–Payment Profile
Background
“I am content that your original request was dealt with in accordance with DWP guidelines for FoI requests.
The Department took the decision to redact information at annex 3, 4 and 6 after considering the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance about releasing information that would affect commercial interests.” – emphasis added
DWP 4 December 2018 Internal Review response to 2 October 2018 FOI request: ‘Universal Support: £39 million for Citizens Advice‘
- ‘FOIA and commercial interests: lessons from Zola‘
“Given the prominence of that exemption – both in public contracts and in the context of public authorities’ responses to FOIA requests – businesses and campaigners should take note.” - ‘Citizens Advice DWP gagging clause raises serious questions on their impartiality‘
- ‘Times launches attack on DWP over gagging clauses for charities‘ –
Times article [£] – “Charities gagged by ministers over universal credit“ - Citizens Advice to provide support to Universal Credit claimants
- Overhaul Universal Support or put whole Universal Credit project at risk
“The Universal Support Offer > [“Woefully inadequate” support]
3. The gap between the Department’s original vision for Universal Support, and the meagre offer it now funds, is vast. The Department envisaged providing ongoing help Universal Credit’s most vulnerable claimants, ensuring they can make the most of the new benefit. In reality it offers a single session of Personal Budgeting and Digital Support, restricted to the first three months of a claim. The current service is almost solely focused on getting new claims up and running. The new contract with Citizens Advice will not substantially diverge from this approach. This may help the Department progress with the roll out, but it is likely to fall far short on helping Universal Credit achieve its wider objectives. In its current form, Universal Support is far from “universal”, and all too often offers only very limited support both budgeting and digital skills. (Paragraph 12)” – emphasis added
Frank Zola 