DWP Secretary Pat McFadden pledged to give people a ‘hand up, not a hand out’ as he set out plans to get 300,000 people with an illness or disability into work by 2030
Thousands of sick or disabled people will be helped into work through a major push to place job advisers in GP surgeries.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden pledged to give people a “hand up, not a hand out” as he set out plans to get 300,000 people with an illness or disability into work by 2030.
He is today announcing a £167.2million boost to expand the Connect to Work programme to nine further areas across England, including Cumbria, Oxfordshire, and West Sussex and Brighton. It will mean over 40,000 more people will receive intensive employment support instead of getting sick notes.
Ministers said the total funding is expected to reach over £1billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide 300,000 sick or disabled people with employment support by the end of the decade.
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The Connect to Work programme, which is voluntary, is open to anyone who is disabled, has a health condition, or faces complex barriers to work. Support includes placing specialist advisers directly within healthcare teams, including GP surgeries to mental health services.
In areas such as Portsmouth, the North East and East Sussex, support also includes using virtual reality immersive classrooms to support people with interview practice and helping parents access affordable childcare so they can re-enter the workforce.
Currently there are approximately 2.8 million people out of work in the UK due to long-term sickness – a figure roughly equivalent to the population of Greater Manchester. Benefit claimants can be supported by work coaches at job centres in various ways, including being offered advice and referred for job opportunities.
But the Government said specialist employment advisers, which it described as being different to work coaches, will ensure job support is treated as part of the all-round care on offer.
Mr McFadden said: “Writing off people with long-term health conditions or disabilities fails them and fails our economy. We are giving people a hand up, not a handout, realising their potential and providing them with the skills to succeed.”
The North East is among areas to receive funding today, with some 13,800 people set to benefit from a £49.7million package of support.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “The North East is an amazing place to work but too many people are facing barriers when they’re trying to find a job.
“However, that’s all about to change as we help thousands of people back to the workplace with tailored support that tackles the issues they’re facing.”
Full list of areas to get funding – and how many people will benefit
Table source: DWP
Connect to Work delivery area
Lead authority
Included authorities (lead in bold)
Funding (rounded down to nearest £0.1)
Number of people set to support (rounded down to nearest 50)
North East
North East Mayoral Combined Authority
- North East Mayoral Combined Authority
- Newcastle City Council
- North Tyneside Council
- Northumberland Council
- South Tyneside Council
- Sunderland City Council
- Durham County Council
- Gateshead Borough Council
£49.7m
13,800
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire Council
Buckinghamshire Council
£7.2m
1,650
Oxfordshire
Oxford County Council
Oxford County Council
£8.3m
2,000
West Sussex and Brighton
West Sussex County Council
- West Sussex County Council
- Brighton and Hove City Council
£15.6m
3,950
Berkshire
Wokingham Borough Council
- Reading Borough Council
- Wokingham Borough Council
- Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
- Slough Borough Council
£9.5m
2,350
Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay
Devon County Council
- Devon County Council
- Torbay Council
- Plymouth City Council
£22.8m
5,950
Cumbria
Cumberland Council
- Cumberland Council
- Westmorland and Furness Council
£11.7m
2,750
South Midlands
West Northamptonshire Council
- Bedford Borough Council
- Luton Borough Council
- Milton Keynes Council
- North Northamptonshire Council
- West Northamptonshire Council
£32m
8,050
York and North Yorkshire
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
- York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
- City of York Council
- North Yorkshire Council
£10.4m
2,500
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