OPEN DWP - Social Benefits is an early-stage pilot concept applying PHC methods to support a cohort of approximately 100 voluntary Universal Credit participants over a 12-week period. The pilot is designed to create a practical, structured record of weekly effort and progress, capturing what was done, what was attempted, what blocked progress, and what happens next.
The approach is intentionally non-disruptive. It does not replace DWP processes, and it does not create employment or payroll structures. Instead, it provides a lightweight governance rhythm (timechunk logging, mentor support, and sponsor review) that makes progress and barriers visible early so participants can move forward with clearer next steps.
The first deployment is expected to be preceded by a PHC 7-Day Review and a short setup period to confirm roles, safeguarding, data rules, and onboarding. to confirm: which local authority or community host will provide the operational base and referrals, and who will be the named operational lead and evaluation contact?
Order Efficiency Ltd (PHC Service Provider)
Responsible for delivery of the PHC Service, including the 7-Day Review, setup of PHC Portal access, weekly tracking discipline, mentor coordination, and production of the pilot reporting pack.
Project Sponsor / Host Organisation (Local Authority or Community Host - TBC)
Provides the pilot sponsorship, local engagement support, and the practical referral pathway to participants. Supports safeguarding alignment and acts as the primary operational counterpart for reviews. to confirm: which organisation will host the first cohort and who is the named safeguarding lead?
Participants (Universal Credit recipients - voluntary cohort)
Enrol as PHC Guests (and optionally Trainees), logging weekly activity and barriers in a consistent format. Participation is voluntary and does not change benefit status or create employment.
PHC Mentors and PHC Consortium Team
Provide light-touch guidance, quality control of logging, escalation handling (including wellbeing/safeguarding routes), and operational consistency across the cohort.
DWP (Observer / Alignment Stakeholder - optional)
May provide policy alignment input and observation to ensure non-interference with UC eligibility and to review learning from the pilot. to confirm: is DWP engagement intended at observer level only, or as a formal partner once evidence is established?
Independent Evaluation Partner (optional)
May be invited to strengthen credibility of outcomes and learning through structured evaluation and evidence handling.
Timeline: 1 Week
Focus: Diagnostic review to confirm feasibility, define participant roles, and assess pilot readiness.
Activities:
Deliverables:
Timeline: 2 Months
Focus: Onboarding and setup of PHC systems, consultant induction, and local engagement.
Activities:
Deliverables:
Timeline: 3 Months (Renewable)
Focus: Real-time monitoring, adaptive support, and data gathering for public value evaluation.
Activities:
Deliverables:
Near-term outcomes (pilot period)
A clear weekly governance rhythm that improves visibility of effort and barriers without creating extra bureaucracy. Participants gain a consistent, practical record suitable for Jobcentre reviews, while sponsors gain reliable engagement metrics (retention, logging consistency, common barrier themes, and support needs).
Operational outcomes
A live baseline view of delivery risks and concerns (including safeguarding escalation routes), a tested onboarding process, and a repeatable operating model for future cohorts. The pilot produces a concise evaluation pack: what worked, what did not, what barriers were most common, and what changes are required before scale-up.
Strategic outcomes
Evidence to support an explicit sponsor decision: continue, adjust, scale, or stop. If successful, OPEN DWP demonstrates a low-cost, repeatable governance-first approach that can be sponsored cohort-by-cohort and expanded to other locations, providing practical learning for policymakers and local partners. to confirm: what success thresholds will the sponsor use for continuation (e.g., retention target, minimum logging compliance, and required reporting outputs)?
| Category | Description | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| IT Services and Tooling | Filemaker, Mindmanager, Conferencing, Development Apps (one off contribution) | £1,900 |
| PHC Start Pack - Hardware (*1) | A set of 5 Single Board Computers, Monitor and UPS | £1,442 |
| PHC 7-Day Review (*2) | PHC Service for Pre-start Review (7 days) | £1,925 |
| PHC Setup (*2) | PHC Service during 2-month Setup Phase | £8,669 |
| PHC Continuation (*2) | PHC Service during 3-month Continuation Phase | £14,213 |
| Miscellaneous | Travel, training, insurance, and other variable costs | £1,000 |
| £29,149 |
| Category | Description | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single Board Computer Set x5 | Raspberry Pi 500, Mouse, hdmi cable, power cable) | £722 |
| Monitor x5 | Mini-Monitor (for RP500) | £480 |
| Site UPS | Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for site computers. | £240 |
| £1,442 |
| Role | People | Hourly Rate | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 | Total (GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHC Strategist | David Winter | £126.00 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | £6,300 |
| PHC Analyst | Abubakr Harakat | £84.00 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | £7,140 |
| PHC Admin | Victor Williams | £49.00 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | £6,125 |
| PHC Trainee | [name1] [name2] [name3] |
£16.80 | 0 | 48 | 48 | 72 | 72 | 72 | £5,242 |
| Project People | Client Rep | £84.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | £0 |
| Total | £1,825 | £4,334 | £4,334 | £4,738 | £4,738 | £4,738 | £24,807 | ||
Footnote - People Costs and PICS Eligibility: The people-related costs shown above relate to funded governance, delivery, leadership, and trainee roles agreed at the outset of the project. These paid hours are not eligible for PICS (Pro Bono Social Impact Credits). PICS applies only to unpaid or underpaid service contributed outside funded roles. PHC Service maintains a clear, auditable separation between funded work and any pro-bono contribution, preventing double recognition while ensuring transparency to funders.
Appendix Highlights:
| Category | Month 1 | Month 2 | Month 3 | Month 4 | Month 5 | Month 6 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Tooling | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,900 | 0 | 0 | 1,900 |
| PHC Start Pack | 0 | 0 | 1,442 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,442 |
| People - Review | 1,925 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,925 |
| People - Setup | 0 | 4,334 | 4,334 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,668 |
| People - Continuation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,738 | 4,738 | 4,738 | 14,214 |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| TOTAL | 1,925 | 5,334 | 5,776 | 6,638 | 4,738 | 4,738 | 29,149 |