European Social Fund: participant guidance

Section A: acceptable evidence (01/01/15-31/03/17)

The following should be noted for participant information collected in 2015 and 2016 (and up to 31 March 2017).

General

• disclosure forms should not be used to evidence any information recorded in the Registration Form and must not be forwarded to the MA
• where documentation can be presented that provides a narrative about the Participant, the MA may accept this in lieu of evidence listed in the ‘Eligibility – Evidence’ section of the guidance. This will be considered on an individual basis and should only be used in exceptional circumstances

Registration form

• a registration form is a basic requirement to be able to evidence participant eligibility
• the registration form must adhere to the information recorded within the Participant Guidance. In addition, forms should be signed by the participant as a minimum and, where possible, a Case Worker. The MA will accept unsigned registration forms where a narrative can be provided via other documents e.g. a signed Action Plan. The participant must be made aware that they are receiving ESF support and appropriate logos must be used
• Lead Partners should consider whether using generic registration forms (e.g. forms that are not specifically created for ‘ESF’ or relate to another source of funding) meet the basic requirements detailed in the Participant Guidance. Lead Partners should note that it may be difficult e.g. to evidence additionality or to ensure that the participant is aware they are receiving ESF funding where generic forms are used
• where errors are made on the registration form, e.g. the employment status of ‘Unemployed’ is selected when ‘Inactive’ is actually the correct status, a file note should be added outlining the error, the reason the error was made, how the error has been rectified and confirmation that the correct information has now been recorded on both the Lead Partners Management Information System and EUMIS

Common indicators

Disability or long-term physical illness/condition

• the Participant Guidance makes clear that a signed registration form is acceptable for the participants registered in 2015 and 2016 and it is not necessary to provide an additional Project Worker assessment also

Education

• a signed registration form is acceptable for Employability and Social Inclusion & Poverty only unless ‘Low Skilled’ is being used as one of the two main barriers to employment. Please note that where participants are funded under ESF Priority 3, Lead Partners must provide evidence to demonstrate the qualification levels of the individual at registration

Employment status

• employed – the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the ‘definitions’ section of the Participant Guidance
• inactive – a signed registration form is acceptable to evidence this status. Where participants have been registered in 2015 and 2016 the Participant Guidance makes clear that it is not necessary to provide an additional Project Worker assessment
• long-term Unemployed – the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the ‘definitions’ section of the Participant Guidance. Where this is not possible, it must be demonstrated that a reasonable attempt has been made to evidence the ‘length of unemployment’. In cases where the Lead Partner is still unable to provide this evidence a signed registration form may be used together with the evidence of the attempts. The Lead Partner must also demonstrate that the individual is ‘unemployed’ in line with the ‘definitions’ section of the Participant Guidance
• unemployed – the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the ‘definitions’ section of the Participant Guidance

From rural areas

• the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the Participant Guidance. Where a reasonable attempt has been made to evidence the participant’s ‘address’ and the Lead Partner is still unable to do so, a signed registration form is acceptable provided the postcode is in the correct format

Homeless or affected by housing exclusion

• the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the Participant Guidance
• ‘sofa-surfing’ – a signed registration form is acceptable

Living in a jobless household

• the Participant Guidance makes clear that a signed registration form is acceptable for the participants registered in 2015 and 2016 and it is not necessary to provide an additional Project Worker assessment

Living in a jobless household with dependent children

• the Participant Guidance makes clear that a signed registration form is acceptable for the participants registered in 2015 and 2016 and it is not necessary to provide an additional Project Worker assessment

Living in a single adult household with dependent children

• the Participant Guidance makes clear that a signed registration form is acceptable for the participants registered in 2015 and 2016 and it is not necessary to provide an additional Project Worker assessment

Migrants, people with a foreign background, minorities (including marginalised communities such as the Roma)

• the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the Participant Guidance

Other eligibility criteria

Address

• for YEI only. Evidence should comply with the information recorded in the Participant Guidance. Where a Lead Partner has made reasonable attempts to obtain evidence of the individual’s address, but are unable to do so, a signed registration form is acceptable (provided the postcode is in the correct format).  Please note that this will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances  - Lead Partners must attempt to obtain this documentation in all cases

Age

• employability and Social Inclusion & Poverty only: in addition to the acceptable forms of evidence highlighted in the Participant Guidance, for participants registered in 2015 and 2016 the MA will accept evidence of a National Insurance number as proof that the individual is of ‘minimum working age’. Where the Lead Partner is unable to provide documentation confirming the National Insurance number the MA will accept a signed registration form provided the National Insurance number is recorded in the correct format. In addition, the MA will accept evidence that the individual is receiving benefits as proof of age. Please note that YEI participants must be between 16 and 29 years of age and Lead Partners must provide evidence to demonstrate the age of the participant at registration

Legally able to reside (and, if relevant to the operation, work) in the UK

• in addition to the acceptable forms of evidence highlighted in the Participant Guidance, for participants registered in 2015 and 2016 the MA will accept evidence of a National Insurance number as proof that the individual is able to live and work in the UK. Where the Lead Partner is unable to provide documentation confirming the National Insurance number the MA will accept a signed registration form providing the National Insurance number has been recorded in the correct format. In addition, the MA will accept evidence that the individual is receiving benefits as proof of the right to reside and work in the UK

‘Low skilled’

• the evidence should comply with the information recorded in the ‘eligibility – evidence’ and ‘definitions’ section of the Participant Guidance. Where a reasonable attempt has been made to evidence the individual’s qualifications and the Lead Partner is still unable to do so this information can be evidenced by a signed registration form