Connect to Work

Connect to Work programme

The government has announced a new £338 million investment into the Connect to Work programme, which 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.

In all around 300,000 people across all of England and Wales are set to benefit over the next five years.
 

How does it work?

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.
 

The expansion is backed by a £338m cash injection with the largest interventions announced today including:

• Up to £71.9 million for Central London Forward – supporting 16,800 people across the City of London

• Up to £47.1 million for the Local London Sub-Regional partnership – providing tailored support to 12,350 people across nine boroughs in east and outer London

• Up to £35.3 million for South Yorkshire – helping 9,950 participants across Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, and Doncaster into work

• Up to £30.7 million for Greater Essex – supporting 7,800 people across Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock, and Essex into good jobs
 

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said:

“I want South Yorkshire to be a place where we all thrive. Where poor health doesn’t hold us back. And
work plays a huge part. It’s not just about wages – it’s about dignity, pride, and the security that comes from knowing you can support yourself and your family.

“Right now, more than 140,000 people across South Yorkshire aren’t in work. But many of those people desperately want to have a job, want to provide for their families, and contribute to the future of our communities. Which is why I’m proud that South Yorkshire is one of the areas across England and Wales delivering Connect to Work.

“It’s a programme designed to help those with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or from disadvantaged backgrounds, into good, secure jobs. And I’m even prouder that Connect to Work is part of the national Pathways to Work project, which we pioneered right here in South Yorkshire.

“South Yorkshire’s at the forefront of tackling these challenges nationally, and we’re increasingly a model for other places across the country.”

Early delivery areas for Connect to Work

Connect to Work is already transforming lives across England, with early delivery areas demonstrating the real difference targeted employment support can make.

In West London, where £42.8 million was allocated earlier this year to support 10,800 people, participants are already finding work with the help of specialist coaches who understand the complex barriers they face.
 

Awais Ashraf, a Connect to Work participant in West London, said:

“My health suffered with the loss of a family member, which led me into a period of depression and anxiety, and meant I lost my employment just under two years ago.

“My JCP Workcoach referred me to Connect to Work. I received a blend of support – from advice and tools in self-managing my health condition to identifying what skills I already had and could be transferred to another role.

“I am now working as a Teaching Assistant and knowing I have my Employment Specialist supporting me while I am in work is also a great reassurance.”

Universal Credit Bill

The announcement came shortly after the Universal Credit Bill received Royal Assent.

Coming into force in April next year, it is claimed that that it will make the welfare system fairer by rebalancing Universal Credit to reduce the incentives that discourage work and fuel inactivity. It will also increase the rate of the standard allowance of Universal Credit, for around four million households, putting an extra £725 in their pockets by 2030.
 

Working alongside WorkWell programme

The new funding also builds on WorkWell, a joint programme by DWP and DHSC, which went live in October last year, backed by £64m funding. It is transforming how people with health conditions are supported back into work through better integration between health services and employment support and will reach 56,000 people across the 15 pilot sites by Spring 2026.

This approach prevents people from falling out of work, transforming employment services, and providing specialist support to help the most disadvantaged back into good jobs.
 

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