£100m cash boost to help thousands into work across the country

• Latest cash boost will be delivered to four areas in England as part of the Connect to Work programme 
• Thousands of disabled people and people with complex health conditions to receive help finding secure, well-paid jobs
• Comes as part of £3.8 billion employment support package in 2028/29  for sick or disabled people, unlocking work and boosting living standards through the Plan for Change

Thousands of people who are out of work due to health conditions, disabilities or other reasons will be helped to find and stay in jobs thanks to a £100million funding boost announced by the Department for Work and Pensions today [Friday 11 July].  

It's part of the Government's plan to Get Britain Working again including changing jobcentres so staff have more time to support people, using better technology, and making sure there are good jobs across the whole country.  The Get Britain Working plan gives towns and cities the powers they need to grow and help more people into work.

The £103.6 million funding package will go towards the Connect to Work programme in Kent & Medway, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Greater Lancashire, supporting nearly 30,000 people.

With 2.8 million people out of work due to ill-health – one of the highest rates in the G7 – the government is taking action to tackle the pressing challenge, and Connect to Work is part of the Government's wider efforts to reduce economic inactivity and grow the economy by supporting more people into work and out of poverty as part of its Plan for Change. 

Minister for Employment Alison McGovern said: 

“For too long, our country has been held back as towns and cities were left on their own to deal with the consequences of people being out of work. This Government is investing to create good jobs, and our plan to Get Britain Working will make sure no one is left on the scrap heap any more.

“Changing job centres and providing funding for towns and cities will make sure everyone is included in our economic plan. No more abandoned places.

“This latest funding will make a real difference in the lives of people across the country and give them the chance they deserve as part of our Plan for Change.”  

Connect to Work is being delivered across England and Wales, with the Government already providing more than £150million which will help to support around 41,000 people. In all more than 300,000 people will be supported by the programme over the next five years.

The programme comes as part of a major investment in employment support for sick and disabled people across this parliament - worth £3.8 billion in 2028/29, and includes £2.2 billion delivered for support announced in our Pathways to Work Green Paper over the next four years, to help people find good, secure jobs.

The Connect to Work funding will be used to provide services including: 

• Individual support from an employment specialist 
• Profiling to identify the work aspirations of participants and development of a plan for them to achieve their goals 
• Matching jobseekers with opportunities that suit their needs and circumstances 
• Support for both participants and employers during the early employment period to help recruit and retain participants 
• Practical support including coaching 

The programme is just one of the ways disabled people, those with health conditions or complex barriers to employment can access support – including assistance provided through Jobcentres.  

The latest funding support was announced as the Minister for Employment visited a Jobcentre in Preston to meet people already helped into work by existing employment support.  

Under the Connect to Work programme Greater Lancashire - which includes Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackpool Council - is to receive up to £38.8m to support 11,000 participants. 

The Minister for Employment met with:  

• Julie, who came to the Jobcentre on Universal Credit and faced significant personal challenges to finding work, including mental health struggles and self-doubt. Thanks to the support she received, including access to the Seasiders Traineeship and the Prince's Trust Explore course, Julie was able to develop her confidence and is now employed as a cleaner at Dunelm - a job she hugely enjoys.  

As announced earlier this year, through Connect to Work, up to £42.8million has been allocated to West London Alliance to support 10,800 people, and up to £11.1million to East Sussex to assist 2,900 people.  

It comes as 15 regions will benefit from a share of £1.5 million in funding to launch a pilot for the WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund. The pilot could transform how local people with health conditions are supported back into employment rather than writing them off with a fit note, reducing pressure on GPs in the area. 

ENDS  

Notes to the editor: 

• Connect to Work is a locally-delivered programme and will follow internationally recognised and successful Supported Employment frameworks which support people who are long-term unemployed or facing complex barriers to work, including those with mental health challenges and learning disabilities. 
• The funding figures, rounded to the nearest decimal point, for each delivery area in this latest tranche are as follows: 

·       Greater Lancashire £38.8m 

·       Kent and Medway £34m 

·       Hertfordshire £19.7m 

·       Gloucestershire £11.1m