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, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
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.
