Job advisors will be put in GP surgeries as part of efforts to get 300,000 sick or disabled people into work by 2030.
Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, remarked that too many individuals with health issues are being overlooked, which he believes is detrimental to both these individuals and the economy.
Funding of more than £1billion across England and Wales over the next five years is aimed at providing people with ‘a hand up, not a handout’.
At present, around 2.8 million people in the UK are unemployed due to long-term illnesses, a number similar to the population size of Greater Manchester.
Benefit claimants can be supported by work coaches at job centres in various ways, including being offered advice and referred for job opportunities.
The Government announced that employment advisors, distinct from work coaches, are now being integrated into healthcare teams, such as those in GP offices and mental health services, to incorporate job support into comprehensive care.
This initiative will offer people intensive, tailored assistance, including personal coaching from specialists who understand the challenges of returning to work.
However, charities have criticised the plan by claiming ‘you can’t work yourself out of poor health’.
Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said too many people with health conditions are being written off
However, the strategy faced criticism from NHS GP Dr. Anita Raja, who mentioned on Good Morning Britain that clinics lack the ‘resources or space’ to host job advisors.
But Mr McFadden said: ‘Writing off people with long-term health conditions or disabilities fails them and fails our economy.
As part of the Plan for Change, the aim is to empower individuals by enhancing their skills for success, offering them a ‘hand up’ rather than a ‘handout.’
‘Thanks to local areas hitting the ground running, it is already delivering results – proving that when we invest in people and communities, everyone wins.’
The plans are part of the Connect to Work scheme, which is voluntary and open to those who are disabled, have a health condition, or face complex barriers to work.
A £167.2 million expansion of the programme into areas including Cumbria, Oxfordshire, and West Sussex and Brighton is expected to see more than 40,000 more sick or disabled people get support into work.
Unemployed people and those who are in work but at risk of losing their jobs because of the barriers created by their health conditions can refer themselves for support or be referred by healthcare professionals, councils, or community organisations.
Disability campaigners welcomed extra support for people but warned the new measures should not end up forcing people into work.
James Taylor, executive director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope, said the Government ‘must make sure it’s not pressuring people who are not well enough to work’, while Mark Gale, policy manager at Sense, said it is ‘vital these measures are designed and delivered alongside disabled people to bring about meaningful change, and aren’t simply used to force people into jobs that aren’t suitable for their needs or may even be detrimental to their health’.
His views were echoed by Alexa Knight, director of policy and influencing at the Mental Health Foundation, who said: ‘When someone is both out of work and experiencing a mental health problem, the focus should always be on helping that person feel better first, before finding them a job.’
As well as availability of employment advisers, people in areas including Portsmouth, the North East and East Sussex will have access to virtual reality immersive classrooms to help with interview practice, workshops to improve confidence and communication skills, and community-based health programmes.
Parents will also be helped with access to affordable childcare to enable them to get back into the workforce, the Department for Work and Pensions said.
The Government has previously warned that if the welfare system is not reformed, the number of working-age people on disability benefits is set to more than double this decade to 4.3 million, and spending on working-age disability and incapacity benefits will rise to £70 billion a year by the end of this Parliament in 2029/30.
