Government plans to deploy 1,000 Jobcentre work coaches to provide “intensive” support for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.
The initiative aims to help 65,000 people claiming disability benefits in 2025/2026. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced the scheme as part of efforts to break down barriers to employment.
Work coaches will deliver personalised support to volunteers, including those furthest from the job market.
The programme forms part of a wider strategy to reform the benefits system and increase employment rates.
Each work coach will be responsible for supporting approximately 65 individuals. The DWP claims these specialists will provide “tailored and personalised support” to address specific barriers to employment.
Support will include practical assistance with CV writing and developing interview techniques. People will volunteer for this intensive support programme.
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The DWP is making drastic changes to the way it will operate going forward
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The initiative specifically targets those who face the greatest challenges in entering the workforce due to disability or health conditions.
Furthermore, work coaches will draw on their existing expertise to help participants navigate the path to employment.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall emphasised the importance of supporting those with health conditions into employment.
“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,” she said.
Kendall outlined the government’s broader ambitions for welfare reform.
She added: “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 per cent employment rate.”
The announcement comes amid reports the government is considering billions of pounds in welfare cuts.
Spending on disability and incapacity benefits has increased by £19billion in real terms since 2019-2020.
This figure is projected to rise by another £13bn by 2029-2030. While the government is keen to address these growing costs, experts have warned that cuts may not deliver the savings the Treasury hopes for.
Critics suggest welfare reductions could push disabled people further from employment by worsening their health.
Cuts might also increase pressure on already strained public services including the NHS, councils, and social care.
Poverty already costs the government tens of billions annually, experts told the Big Issue.
Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, cautioned against a punitive approach.
“Ministers must resist the temptation to think about these changes in terms of carrots and sticks to push people into employment,” he said.
Instead, Harrison urged the government to focus on “de-risking returning to work for those who can, while protecting the living standards, wellbeing and dignity of those who can’t.”
He emphasised the need to build trust with disabled people. “Government must work to provide more sustainable and secure job opportunities. This should include increased access to flexible working to help manage health conditions.”
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Work Foundation research suggests early intervention helps workers with health conditions remain employed. Around one in 10 employees drop out of work within four years of experiencing a health issue.
Harrison suggested the government should “work with employers to increase access to occupational health services, rights to flexible working and strengthen sick pay.”
Current statistics reveal a stark reality for those with health conditions seeking employment. Only one per cent of people out of the workforce for health reasons find a job within six months.
This is despite 20 per cent of them wanting to work, according to research from the Learning and Work Institute.
The current system provides limited support, with only one in 10 disabled people receiving help to find work each year.
