Zarah ChoudharyThe Government has introduced plans for 1,000 existing Work Coaches deployed in 2025/26 to deliver intensive voluntary support to around 65,000 sick and disabled people, helping them to break down barriers to opportunity, drive growth and unlock the benefits of work.
This support for people on health-related benefits – including those furthest away from work – will see Work Coaches providing tailored and personalised employment support, and help claimants access other support such as writing CVs and interview techniques.
They will also access a range of DWP employment programmes to help claimants unlock work based on conversations with their Work Coaches.
The additional help will be delivered by reprioritising work coach time so they can focus on tackling economic inactivity in order to make the welfare system more sustainable.
The 1,000 redeployed Work Coaches are a ‘downpayment’ on wide-ranging plans to overhaul employment support, which are set to be unveiled in just a few weeks’ time.
This comes as new survey results showed the current system isn’t just failing the taxpayer, it’s also failing the people it’s meant to help, with 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition believing DWP does not provide enough support to people who are out of work due to disability, ill health, or a long-term health condition.
Work and Pensions Secretary Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP said: “We inherited a broken welfare system that is failing sick and disabled people, is bad for the taxpayer, and holding the economy back.
“For too long, sick and disabled people have been told they can’t work, denied support, and locked out of jobs, with all the benefits that good work brings.
“But many sick and disabled people want and can work, with the right support.
“And we know that good work is good for people – for their living standards, for their mental and physical health, and for their ability to live independently.
“We’re determined to fix the broken benefits system as part of our Plan for Change by reforming the welfare system and delivering proper support to help people get into work and get on at work, so we can get Britain working and deliver our ambition of an 80% employment rate.”
The data from the DWP Perceptions Survey – soon to be published in full – will highlight concerns among disabled people and those with health conditions regarding the support provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
More than a third (35%) of respondents believe that the DWP does not offer sufficient assistance to working-age individuals who are out of work to help them return to employment.
Additionally, 44% of disabled people and those with health conditions express a lack of trust in the DWP’s ability to support individuals in reaching their full career potential.
Nearly two in five (39%) respondents do not trust the DWP to consider its customers’ needs when delivering its services.
These figures followed recently released data which showed that there are over three million people on Universal Credit with no obligation to engage in work-related activity, despite over a quarter (27%) of health and disability benefit claimants believing that work could be possible in the future if their health improves and 200,000 saying they would be ready to work now.
Data also showed the number of working-age people on the health element of Universal Credit or claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA) has risen to 3.1 million, a staggering 319% increase since the pandemic, reflecting the alarming rate at which young and working aged people are increasingly falling out of work and claiming incapacity benefits.
To give people the support they deserve, and restore trust and fairness to the welfare system, reforms to the welfare system are expected to be announced in just a few weeks.
These reforms will acknowledge that some people may be unable to work at certain points in their lives and will ensure they receive the necessary support while addressing the shortcomings of the current benefits system.
The existing system requires individuals to prove their incapacity to work to access higher benefits, which can create a fear of taking steps towards employment.
It is also structured around a rigid ‘can versus cannot work’ divide, failing to account for the diversity of jobs, the reality of fluctuating health conditions, and the potential for individuals to expand their capabilities with the right support.
Additionally, the system directs disabled people or those with a work-limiting health condition into a queue for an assessment, after which they often receive no further contact, expectations, or support if deemed ‘unable’ to work.
It also lacks early intervention measures to prevent people from falling out of employment and misses opportunities to facilitate their return to work.
Furthermore, the stark and binary distinction between benefits rates and conditionality rules for jobseekers compared to those on the health element of Universal Credit pushes individuals towards economic inactivity.
Ultimately, the system has become characterised by poor user experiences and low levels of trust, particularly in the assessment process.
The Government’s plans to fix the broken benefit system will build on the employment reforms in a generation announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, which will empower mayors to drive down economic inactivity, deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, and overhaul job centres across the country.
Former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield is leading an independent review investigating how Government and employers can work together to help disabled people and those with ill health who may be at risk of falling out work stay on in employment, with the findings of the discovery phase expected in the spring.
The Government is also investing an additional £26bn to cut NHS waiting lists and get Britain back to health and back to work.
The Government has already delivered on its pledge, providing two million extra appointments in five months and as a result, around 160,000 fewer patients on waiting lists today than in July.
Teams of clinicians will also introduce new ways of working at 20 hospital sites in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity to help patients return to the workforce faster.
This is alongside the recruitment of an additional 8,500 mental health workers to ensure mental health is given the same attention as physical health.
Mark Jones, reward and benefit partner at Isio, said: “The government’s latest push to tackle economic inactivity by providing tailored employment support is a step in the right direction, but long-term success will depend on addressing the underlying factors that drive people out of work in the first place.
“Our research has shown that flexibility and well-designed employee benefits play a crucial role in keeping people engaged in the workforce.
“Nearly three-fifths (58%) of employees who feel their benefits fully meet their needs have no plans to leave their current employer, highlighting how the right support can improve retention and reduce reliance on the welfare system.
“For those with long-term health conditions, job flexibility and financial security are essential. While work coaches can provide valuable guidance, businesses must also do their part by offering benefits that support employees’ physical, mental, and financial well-being.
“By aligning employment strategies with workforce needs, employers can help reduce the number of people who feel forced out of work due to ill health.
“The real challenge is not just getting people back into jobs but creating workplaces that enable them to thrive and stay in work over the long term.”
