The Department for Work and Pensions has announced a £338 million investment into the Connect to Work programme to deliver tailored support to over 85,000 people who are sick, disabled or face complex barriers to work in 15 areas across England.
The scheme, launched after the Universal Credit Act 2025 received Royal Assent yesterday, provides intensive, personalised help including individual coaching from employment specialists, job matching services, and ongoing support for both participants and employers.
Connect to Work funding
Over the next five years, around 300,000 people across England and Wales are set to benefit. People facing barriers to work can self-refer or they can be introduced 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 – the Connect to Work programme is part of the government’s plan to achieve an 80% employment rate.
Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said: “For too long, millions of people have been denied the support they need to get back to health and back to work. It’s bad for their living standards, it’s bad for their families, and it’s bad for the economy.
“That’s why we’re taking decisive action by investing millions of pounds so sick or disabled people can overcome the barriers they face and move out of poverty and into good, secure jobs.”
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.
South Yorkshire, including Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, is set to benefit from more than £35 million in Connect to Work funding to help almost 10,000 people back into work.
Oliver Coppard, mayor of the combined authority, 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.
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“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.”
Coming into force in April next year, the Universal Credit Act aims to make the welfare system fairer by rebalancing the benefit to reduce incentives that discourage work and fuel inactivity.
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