Life-Changing Support into Work

Thousands of sick or disabled people will be helped into good, secure jobs following a major expansion of tailored employment support announced by the Department for Work and Pensions. 

A new £338 million investment into the Connect to Work programme will deliver localised, tailored support to over 85,000 people who are sick, disabled or face complex barriers to work in 15 areas across England. 

The scheme provides intensive, personalised help including individual coaching from employment specialists, job matching services, and ongoing support for both participants and employers to ensure sustainable employment outcomes. 

In all around 300,000 people across all of England and Wales are set to benefit over the next five years.

To access support, sick and disabled people and those facing complex barriers to work can self-refer or they can be referred through various routes including healthcare professionals, local authorities, and voluntary sector partners.  

With 2.8 million people out of work due to ill-health – one of the highest rates in the G7 – it’s part of the Government’s plan to get Britain working again and deliver an 80% employment rate by overhauling jobcentres, tackling economic inactivity through local plans, and delivering a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning.  

Among those out of work, over one in four cite sickness as a barrier - more than double the 2012 figure of one in ten - highlighting the urgent need for tailored employment support that removes barriers faced by disabled people and those with health conditions.  

“For too long, millions of people have been denied the support they need to get back to health and back to work,” said Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall (pictured above).

“It’s bad for their living standards, it’s bad for their families, and it’s bad for the economy. 

“That’s why we’re taking decisive action by investing millions of pounds so sick or disabled people can overcome the barriers they face and move out of poverty and into good, secure jobs as part of our Plan for Change.” 

The expansion is backed by a £338m cash injection with the largest interventions announced including:  

·         Up to £71.9 million for Central London Forward – supporting 16,800 people across the City of London 

·         Up to £47.1 million for the Local London Sub-Regional partnership – providing tailored support to 12,350 people across nine boroughs in east and outer London  

·         Up to £35.3 million for South Yorkshire – helping 9,950 participants across Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, and Doncaster into work 

·         Up to £30.7 million for Greater Essex – supporting 7,800 people across Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock, and Essex into good jobs 

To find out more visit  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/connect-to-work