The Government has revealed new plans to improve employment support brought forward ahead of wider reform package to fix broken welfare system.
1000 work coaches are to be deployed to deliver intensive employment support to sick and disabled people as part of the Government’s Plan for Change which will break down barriers to opportunity.
The announcement comes as a new survey reveals scale of the broken system with nearly half of disabled people and those with a health condition saying they don’t trust DWP to support them.
1000 existing Work Coaches will deployed in 2025/26 to deliver intensive voluntary support to around 65,000 sick and disabled people
They will be 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.
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.”
Recently released data shows that there are over three million people on Universal Credit (UC) with no obligation to engage in work-related activity, despite over a quarter 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 shows the number of working-age people on the health element of UC 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.
Commenting on the proposals,Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University,
The Government’s commitment to provide those who want to work with more tailored assistance to do so is welcome.
“But as welfare budgets come under increased pressure, Minister’s must resist the temptation to think about these changes in terms of carrots and sticks to push people into employment, and instead focus squarely on de-risking returning to work for those who can, while protecting the living standards, wellbeing and dignity of those who can’t.
“To build trust with disabled people and those with a long-term health conditions, Government must work to provide more sustainable and secure job opportunities. This should include increased access to flexible working to help manage health conditions – a recent Department for Work and Pensions study showed that a quarter of those who are out of work and claiming health and disability benefits might be able to work, if they could do this from home.
“But the reality is prevention is better than cure, and it’s critical the Government works proactively with employers to stem the flow of people leaving the labour market in the first place. Work Foundation evidence suggests early intervention is key to support the one in ten employees who drop out of work within four years of experiencing a health issue. To help these workers remain in or return to employment, Government should work with employers to increase access to occupational health services, rights to flexible working – and strengthen sick pay.”
