A new work and health support service will be rolled out across 15 areas of England as part of the Government’s plan to help people with health conditions back to work, the Work and Pensions Secretary has confirmed today (Tuesday 7 May).
The WorkWell pilots – launched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) – will connect 59,000 people from October to local support services including physiotherapy and counselling so they can get the tailored help they need to stay in or return to work.
It comes after the Prime Minister announced a sweeping package of welfare reforms to modernise the benefit system and help thousands more people into work, including a review of fit notes to consider how to relieve pressure on GPs and deliver personalised work and health plans that prevent people from falling out of work and onto long-term sickness benefits.
The WorkWell service provides a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into both employment support and health services locally to help people manage their conditions and to identify workplace adjustments or support that would enable them to stay in work or return sooner.
Participants do not need to be claiming any Government benefits and will receive personalised support from a Work and Health Coach to understand their current health and social barriers to work and draw up a plan to help them overcome them. Evidence shows that work is an effective way to improve wellbeing – reducing the risk of depression, improving physical health, and building self-confidence and financial independence.
Work and Pensions Secretary, Mel Stride MP, said:
We are rolling out the next generation of welfare reforms so that thousands more people can gain all the benefits work brings.
Too many today are falling out of work in a spiral of sickness that harms their finances, their prospects and ultimately their health, where with the right workplace adjustments and help, this needn’t be the case.
And so we have designed WorkWell, a groundbreaking new service, that will for the first time integrate health and work advice at the local level, as part of our plan to stem the flow into economic inactivity, grow the economy, and change lives for the better.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins MP, said:
Too often, people with disabilities or poor health fall out of work with no support.
We have a plan to change that and improve lives so everyone has the opportunity to find fulfilling work. This service will help tens of thousands of people, who will receive joined-up work and health support, tailored to their individual needs.
This service, alongside a faster, simpler and fairer health service, will build a healthier workforce, and a stronger economy.
Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Huntingdon, Ben Obese-Jecty, said:
Falling out of work due to ill-health can be hugely damaging, not only to the physical well-being of an individual but also the impact it can have on a number of factors from self-esteem through to the financial impact upon their safety and security.
With 137,566 fit notes issued across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough last year this pilot scheme shows that there is an opportunity to set the conditions for those who wish to return to work to have the support required to do so.
The WorkWell pilot will form a key pillar of integrating health and work advice locally.
WorkWell is for anyone with a health condition or disability, including mental health conditions, who wants to work. It is a voluntary service, so people will be able to self-refer, or may be referred to WorkWell through their GP, employer or the community sector.
These professionals will also provide advice on workplace adjustments, such as flexible working or adaptive technology, facilitate conversations with employers on health needs, and provide access to local services such as physiotherapy, employment advice and counselling.
