Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the White Paper, Improving Lives published in November 2017, when the funding for Jobcentre Plus Community Partners and additional Disability Employment Advisers is due to end; and whether the Department has plans to allocate additional funding for those initiatives.

Funding for Jobcentre Plus Community Partners and additional Disability Employment Advisers has been agreed up until 31st March 2019.

There is a range of support available for claimants with a health condition or disability, including one-to-one support from Work Coaches, The Work and Health Programme and the Personal Support package. Our overall aim is for work coaches to continue to develop the skills and confidence to provide good coaching and effective support. Disability Employment Advisers and Community Partners are among a number of the enablers in place to support this priority.

We are carrying out continuous evaluation, including a review of the Community Partner and Disability Employment Adviser role functions. Recommendations from this review will be considered by Ministers and DWP Senior Leaders as they decide how to ensure that we continue to provide a cohesive support offer beyond 31st March 2019.