The government has quietly scrapped a scheme designed to help disabled people and vulnerable individuals find jobs, despite the push to get more people on welfare benefits into employment.
The £100m Work and Health Programme in England and Wales is set to end later this year, The Observer has reported. The scheme helps disabled people, ex-armed forces personnel, care leavers, victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable people find work by matching their skills to available jobs, putting them in touch with employers, accessing training and supporting them to manage health conditions that can affect their work.
The news came despite the announcement of plans to overhaul the fit note system to shift its focus on the work people can do, rather than what they cannot.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has also announced a consultation on the future of the personal independence payment (PIP), which helps cover the extra costs of living with a disability or ill health.
Job support for disabled people
According to The Observer, providers offering support under the Work and Health Programme have been told it will end in the autumn.
Elizabeth Taylor, chief executive of Employment Related Services Association, which represents providers, told the paper that scrapping scheme would leave “a big gap in provision”, as new programmes would not help as many disabled people and some would be offered no support at all.
She said that Universal Support, a scheme that was announced last year and designed to support up to 25,000 people facing complex barriers into work, would not be taken nationwide until the summer of 2025.
“When this is put in the context of rising numbers on health-related benefits, greater expectations on people to find work and labour market shortages, it is alarming,” she said.
Natasha Kearslake, director of HR consultancy Organic P&O Solutions, said: “Scrapping the Work and Health Programme while announcing plans to force more disabled people into work through benefit cuts is a clear sign that this government is cutting thousands of people adrift.
“Axing a major scheme that helped 300,000 disabled people into work over six years leaves a gaping hole in vital assistance for vulnerable workers. Slashing support without providing any replacement undermines efforts towards improving disability inclusion in the workforce.
“Instead of penalising disabled people with the threat of lost benefits, a more productive strategy could include subsidised workplace assistance programmes, or incentivising inclusive hiring practices. Forcing people into unsuitable jobs through benefit cuts is not workforce inclusion. It increases disability discrimination and results in unmotivated employees and lower retention.
“The government needs to think again and work on a holistic system that prepares disabled candidates for work, while incentivising employers to tap into this underutilised talent pool.”
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “The Work and Health Programme is part of a much wider offer to help people with disabilities and long-term health conditions start, stay and succeed in work.
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“Our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan will help over a million people, including those with disabilities and long-term health conditions, to break down barriers to work.”
