The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced initiatives to provide skills and job support to a significant number of individuals dealing with mental health conditions, back issues, or high blood pressure.
As part of this effort, 1,000 specialized Jobcentre staff have been reassigned by the DWP to assist individuals receiving sickness benefits. This redeployment is intended to offer voluntary aid to Universal Credit recipients exempted from work requirements due to their health conditions, marking a pioneering national campaign.
These designated work coaches, also known as Pathways to Work advisers, are now stationed in Jobcentres throughout Scotland, England, and Wales, fulfilling the UK Government’s commitment to enhance employment prospects.
By the end of the current financial year, the DWP aims to support 65,000 individuals classified with Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA). These experts will collaborate with claimants to address barriers to employment and guide them towards additional job opportunities and skills services.
The services offered include training in IT and HGV driving, government-funded Connect to Work support, or vocational training in key industries like construction and hospitality.
Recent data indicates around 2.2 million individuals are receiving primary benefits in the country due to health conditions, with approximately 1.3 million affected by mental health issues and 900,000 dealing with back pain, arthritis, or other musculoskeletal disorders.
The government aims to reduce the number of long-term sick individuals, with a focus on boosting employment rates to 80% by transforming Jobcentres, implementing local schemes to address economic inactivity, and ensuring every young person is either working or studying through a Youth Guarantee initiative.
The additional work coach support has proven effective in aiding individuals in finding employment, with studies showing that LCWRA claimants who accepted this support were significantly more likely to secure jobs and access further assistance later on.
Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden emphasized the importance of providing skills and job opportunities to individuals stuck on benefits, aiming to equip them for stable employment and economic growth.
The support offered is voluntary and will be extended to LCWRA claimants through their Universal Credit journal with personalized monthly appointments. Over 10,000 people have already accepted this support, with more expected to join in the coming weeks.
Individuals with severe and lifelong health conditions, as well as those under Special Rules End of Life, will not be included in this initiative. Advisers will focus on providing tailored support to aid claimants in overcoming barriers and progressing towards employment.
Support may involve directing individuals to government employment programs like Connect to Work or WorkWell, offering skills training in various sectors, or providing job placement opportunities in industries such as construction and hospitality.
