People Issues

Efficiency and Relocation Support Programme (ERSP)

In response to the workforce changes announced in the Chancellor's Spending Review 2004, the Cabinet Office established the Efficiency and Relocation Support Programme (ERSP) to facilitate a corporate approach to managing the people implications. As part of this programme, the Cabinet Office included protocols to ensure that opportunities for redeployment of staff who want to continue their Civil Service careers are maximised. The Cabinet Office coordinates this common approach with key stakeholders, including Departments and the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU).

To address the challenges of Spending Review 2007 the Permanent Secretaries Employee Relations Sub Group (PSER) endorsed the continuation of the ERSP and commissioned the Cabinet Office to revise and strengthen the existing protocols.  In April 2008 the Protocols for handling surplus staff situations were issued.  These protocols provide a corporate approach across the Civil Service and relevant NDPBs that will help to ensure that best endeavours are used to avoid recourse to compulsory redundancies for those who want to continue their Civil Service careers.  They have been agreed by the Cabinet Office and the CCSU and endorsed by Permanent Secretaries, the Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Office Ministers.

This web portal has been created to provide staff at risk of losing their jobs with information to facilitate redeployment to other government departments. This site supplements redeployment activities already taking place within your Department, Agency or relevant NDPB. All queries relating to individual redeployment issues must be taken up with your departmental Human Resource contact.

Strengthened Protocols

On the 1st April 2008 the Protocol for handling surplus staff situations was published.  The aim of the protocols is to strengthen the Efficiency and Relocation Support Programme by continuing to provide the Civil Service and relevant NDPB wide approach to handling surplus staff situations.  This corporate approach will ensure that:

• best endeavours are used to avoid the need for recourse to compulsory redundancies for those people who want to continue their Civil Service careers.
• opportunities for redeployment both within and across departmental boundaries are maximised.
• The strengthened protocols can be viewed here: Strengthened protocols
  

Terms and Conditions

This information is intended to give surplus staff an insight into terms and conditions within different Departments to facilitate redeployment - it is by no means conclusive.

Departments are keen to seek cost effective ways of overcoming terms and conditions barriers to redeployment. Therefore, staff seeking redeployment opportunities within another Department, should have a discussion with their departmental HR contacts to try to address any terms and conditions issues/barriers.

Summary of Terms and Conditions (Excel, 108KB)
2007-2008 National & London Pay Scales (Excel, 58KB)
Further information on Departmental Terms and Conditions (PDF, 131KB)

CS Vacs

Civil Service Vacancies (CS Vacs - vacancy handling database) for staff at risk contains current vacancies within other government departments and can be broken down by region.

It is usual for Departments, Agencies and relevant NDPBs to try to fill their vacancies internally in the first instance. If this is not achieved the vacancy must be advertised on CS Vacs for a minimum of 10 working days, excluding the date the vacancy is posted on the system, before seeking to advertise externally e.g. Civil Service Recruitment Gateway, national press etc.  This is to give exclusive access and priority to surplus staff from OGDs and means that suitable surplus staff should be offered the post before external applicants are considered, as long as they demonstrate the minimum job criteria (i.e., skills, behaviour and experience) for the post.  This does not mean they will necessarily be interviewed before external candidates but all surplus staff would have to be assessed as unsuitable before an offer is made to an external candidate.

Standard Application Form

The HR Directors Group on Efficiency and Relocation Support in conjunction with the Cabinet Office has developed an application form for use by surplus staff (or staff at risk) when applying for vacancies in Other Government Departments (OGDs).   The form seeks to minimise the burden on surplus staff seeking redeployment opportunities in OGDs.

Standard Application Form (MS Word, 129KB)
Guidance for the Standard Application Form (PDF, 29KB)

Equality and Relocation

Where departments make a business case for restructuring, whether via relocation, reorganisation or reduction, they need to consider how the proposals may affect equality across a diverse workforce, where many different issues need to be addressed. Restructuring should not be implemented in a way that results in direct or indirect unlawful discrimination of any particular group.  It is important to look at ways of restructuring that promote equality of opportunity and good staff relations.

Public bodies are bound by equality legislation to comply with the three duties to promote equality in the areas of disability, gender and race. These duties include the requirement to develop and put into place equality schemes that prevent disability, gender and race inequality. This includes the process of carrying out Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) in areas of significant business change.

Many departments have developed their own internal guidance and EQIA processes.  The Cabinet Office have developed guidance that explains what an EQIA is and an example of the processes involved:  http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/67299/eia_guidance.pdf

Regional Information

As a result of the ERSP, ten Regional Networks have been established to support Departments, Agencies and relevant Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) in the handling of staff at risk as a result of the Spending Review 2004 and Spending Review 2007 outcomes. The networks are situated in the following regions: North West; North East; South West; Yorkshire and Humber; Scotland; Midlands; Wales; East of England; South East and London.

Each Regional Network has a dedicated Regional Coordinator to provide day to day support to Departments in their efforts to redeploy staff at risk. Regional Coordinators also organise HR Practitioner Forums (see below) within their regions which meet on a regular basis.

A list of Departments and Agencies located within the regions is given to facilitate redeployment efforts of staff at risk.  Please note that the information below is subject to change and is intended to give staff an indication of the Departments within a particular region.   http://www.ogc.gov.uk/e-pims_property_summary_reports.asp

CS Vacs

www.csvacs.gov.uk (a vacancy handling database) for staff at risk contains current vacancies within other government departments and can be broken down by region. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see the attached document that has been developed to answer frequently asked questions about the ERSP process.

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 18KB)

Cabinet Office Contacts

Sarah Callow
E: sarah.callow@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
T: 0207 276 2711