Although the Department for Work and Pensions does not have any discrete IT projects, it has a number of projects and programmes that include changes to, or new, IT to a greater or lesser extent.
The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001, prior to that arrangements were the responsibility of different Departments and Agencies. The provision of actual costs for all such projects completed by the Department and its Agencies since then would only be available at a disproportionate cost. We have provided such information as is readily available in the two following tables. The first includes:
The projects and programmes currently on the Department's current portfolio where the IT element of the project or programme results in the development and/or implementation of services that underpin the delivery of departmental business.
The planned and actual investment costs of the current portfolio and the estimated cost on completion.
Table 2 details recently closed projects including planned and actual investment costs on completion. The costs of running the solutions implemented by the projects and programmes are not included in either table as in the vast majority of cases they are more than compensated for by the financial and non financial benefits they generate.
Initiatives that are associated with ongoing system improvements or enhancements as part of business as usual are also excluded.
£million rounded Project Purpose Original planned costs Actual costs as at November 2008 Estimated cost on completion Employment and Support Allowance The project delivers the systems, processes and training to support delivery of the new employment and support allowance. 295 241 295 Customer Information System This project will deliver a database of key citizen information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. personal details computer system and departmental central index, and become their replacement. Consideration is being given for wider use of CIS by other Government Departments. 40 86 88 Central Payments System A modern integrated central payment engine and accounts payable system to improve accounting for benefit/pension payments. The system will also reduce risks of service failure, increase speed and efficiency, and provide information to improve customer service and reduce fraud and error. 90 44 178 Pensions Transform- ation Programme The programme will transform the Pension Service, bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer service and deliver efficiencies. 429 555 598 Pension Reform Delivery Programme To co-ordinate, manage and deliver a range of measures and consequential impacts which will establish a new structure for the UK pension system long term. 151 21 118 Document Repository Service This project seeks to support the Department's modernisation programmes through the provision of a document repository to store digitised images of documents received from customers (letters, faxes, e-mails etc.), cutting down paper in the organisation. 6 7 10 Data Centre Strategy The project is addressing the ongoing continued threat of business service continuity with a replacement strategy for Washington Data Centre. 33 4 33 DWP Change Programme This programme brigades a number of complementary initiatives to deliver the DWP Business Vision. It includes projects to bring in continuous improvement using lean techniques which should allow greater customer focus and efficiency in our process and business improvement projects to allow greater access to information. 245 45 246 Provider Referrals and Payment Project Deploy an IT system to automate and e-enable payment transactions between Jobcentre Plus and training providers. 17 3 18 Local Services Integration programme To provide local services with an IT solution that supports the end to end process making administration more efficient. 19 1 15 Government Connect To roll out a secure data network connecting Government and local authorities, including secure file transfer, e-mail and web-browser capability. 8 6 33 Note: Government Connect—£33 million forecast spend are the total costs of this cross government programme—planned DWP funding (£8 million), Communities and Local Government (£19 million) and Department for Children and Families (£6 million).
£million rounded Project Purpose Original planned costs Actual costs of project Centralisation of Benefit processing To centralise, automate and standardise benefit processing 140 118 Provider-Led pathways to work Central to the welfare reform agenda this project will contract the private and voluntary sector to provide additional help and support for all but the most severely ill or disabled incapacity benefit customers gaining employment. Additional help will be provided through additional mandatory monthly work- focused interviews and tailored, job-focused support, including help to manage customer’s health condition, especially in relation to work. 17 10 DWP IT Transformation Programme (inc TREDSS & ICONS) Establishing new commercial arrangements with EDS for the delivery of live systems and services. 169 155 Fraud Referrals and Interventions Management System Fraud Referrals and Intervention Management System aims to deliver modernised programme protection activity 12 30