Work and Health Programme: Disability
(asked on 27th October 2016) - View Source
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled jobseekers his Department expects to be able to access specialist support through the proposed Work and Health programme.
The Spending Review announced funding rising to at least £130 million a year by 2019/20 for the new Work and Health programme, including funding to be devolved to Scotland, focussing support on people with a disability, early access for priority groups and the long term unemployed. We are not yet able to confirm how many disabled jobseekers will access the programme but we expect the majority of people who will start the programme will be disabled people.
The Work and Health Programme is only one part of the wider package of support for disabled people. ‘Improving Lives, The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper’ Cm 9342, announced to the House by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 31 October, confirms we will introduce a new Personal Support Package for people with health conditions and disabilities, with a range of new interventions and initiatives designed to provide support that is tailored to the individual needs of claimants.
The Package will be delivered through Jobcentre Plus, including following the Work Programme with a smaller, but more focused Work and Health Programme, coupled with significant new investment in a new Health and Work Conversation for all ESA claimants and additional Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres.
From April 2017 we will also be investing the new funding announced at Summer Budget 2015 for additional employment support for new ESA and UC claimants with limited capability for work.
This will fund additional places on our existing employment programmes including a place on Work Choice or the Work and Health Programme for all new ESA Work-Related Activity Group claimants who wish to volunteer and are eligible, improved training for Work Coaches; and new measures that will harness the expertise of third sector organisations within Jobcentres.