Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and value for money of the Restart Scheme ahead of its planned end in June 2026.

By the end of April 2026, around 1.1 million individuals had started on the Restart Scheme. 280,000 participants have subsequently achieved a job outcome. This is against a (minimum) contractual expectation of 240,000 job outcomes. The current number of job outcomes therefore represents 118% of the minimum performance level.

The 2024 Qualitative Evaluation has indicated that the Restart Scheme has supported participants to achieve positive employment outcomes. This includes not only sustained employment, but also a range of wider benefits such as improved wellbeing, the attainment of qualifications, increased proximity to the labour market, and enhanced job-searching skills. Findings from a longitudinal cohort study suggest that participation in the scheme is associated with improved employment outcomes. Specifically, 35% of Restart Scheme participants were in work compared with 26% of a comparable group of non-participants.

A quantitative impact assessment of the Restart Scheme is underway and is due for publication later this year.