The government has announced that job advisers will now be embedded in GP surgeries to help get tens of thousands of sick and disabled people back into work.
The expansion will see the programme rolled out to nine further areas across England, including Cumbria, Oxfordshire, and West Sussex and Brighton, helping those who may have been excluded from the job market to take steps towards employment.
Total funding is now set to reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.
With 2.8 million people out of work due to health conditions, it’s part of the Government’s plan to get Britain working again and ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive by modernising jobcentres.
Support includes embedding specialist advisers directly within healthcare teams – from GP surgeries to mental health services – treating employment support as holistic care, while areas such as Portsmouth, the North East and East Sussex are also:
- Connecting people from community-based health programmes to dedicated employment support.
- Using Virtual Reality immersive classrooms to support people with interview practice.
- Helping parents and families access affordable childcare so they can re-enter the workforce.
- Running workshops to improve participants’ confidence and communication skills.
“Writing off people with long-term health conditions or disabilities fails them and fails our economy,” said Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden.
“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.
“Thanks to local areas hitting the ground running, it is already delivering results – proving that when we invest in people and communities, everyone wins.”
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