The Department for Work and Pensions says ‘work will be unlocked’ for thousands of sick and disabled people through new measures designed to ‘make the welfare system more sustainable’. The move will include 1,000 work coaches in Jobcentres to deliver intensive support to sick and disabled people in a bid to get them working.
Work Coaches will deliver intensive voluntary support to around 65,000 sick and disabled people.
This support will help claimants access support such as writing CVs and interview techniques. It is part of the Government’s Plan for Change to ‘unblock work’ for 2.8 million people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness and bring down spending on incapacity benefits which is expected to reach £70 billion by the end of this parliament.
It comes as new survey results show 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition believe DWP does not provide enough support to people who are out of work due to disability, ill health, or a long-term health condition.
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.”
Recebnt data shows there are over three million people on Universal Credit with no obligation to engage in work-related activity.Data also shows the number of working-age people on the health element of Universal Credit or claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA) has risen to 3.1 million, a 319% increase since the pandemic.
Former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield is leading an independent review investigating how government and employers can help disabled people and those with ill health who may be at risk of falling out work stay on in employment, with the findings of the discovery phase expected in the spring.
The government is also investing an additional £26 billion to cut NHS waiting lists.