Thousands with health conditions to get work support as advisers join GP surgeries – DWP

Over 40,000 more sick and disabled people are set to receive employment support following a £167.2m investment in the Connect to Work programme. 

The funding will put specialist employment advisers in GP surgeries, mental health services and community-based referral partners across nine more areas in England, including Cumbria, Oxfordshire, West Sussex and Brighton.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the cash forms part of a wider £1bn investment over the next five years, aiming to help 300,000 sick or disabled people in England and Wales into work by 2030. 

There are currently 2.8 million people out of work because of health conditions.

Support involves embedding advisers within healthcare teams, linking people from community health programmes to employment support, using virtual reality classrooms for interview practice, and helping parents access affordable childcare. 

Workshops to boost confidence and communication skills are also included.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat 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 as part of our Plan for Change.