Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of the NHS 10-Year Plan on (a) levels of employment and (b) the cost to the public purse of (i) health and (ii) incapacity benefits.

The Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Joint Work and Health Directorate was set up in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions. The Directorate is staffed by officials in both Departments who report to both Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Work and Pensions Ministers. The Secretaries of State and Junior Ministers for Work and Pensions and for Health and Social Care meet on a regular basis.

We know that good work is generally good for health and wellbeing and that there are many disabled people who want to work. Our Pathways to Work Guarantee will provide work, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions claiming out of work benefits.

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care have worked together on the 10 Year Health Plan. The Plan will break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work. Neighbourhood health services will support people to access services closer to home, which will benefit people whose disability may make travelling challenging.

NHS Health and Growth Accelerators are testing a novel approach where local NHS systems are supported to increase – and are held accountable for – the impact they have on people’s work status. If those Accelerators are successful, we will expect all integrated care boards (ICBs) to establish specific and measurable outcome targets on their contribution to reducing economic inactivity and unemployment based on this model. In developing that approach, we will expect ICBs to seek the closest possible collaboration with local government partners – including mayors and strategic health authorities in particular – so that citizens benefit from a seamless work, health and skills offer in their area

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care are working together and will continue to do so as the package of reforms is developed in detail.