Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Improving lives: the future of work, health and disability policy paper published on 30 November 2017, what progress his Department has made on ensuring individuals can access personalised and tailored employment support as outlined in that report.

In 2017, the Government set a goal to see a million more disabled people in employment between 2017 and 2027. The latest figures released for Q1 2022 show that between Q1 2017 and Q1 2022, the number of disabled people in employment increased by 1.3m – meaning the goal has been met after only five years.

We reiterated our ambition to improve employment support for disabled people and people with health conditions in Shaping Future Support: the Health and Disability Green Paper. Earlier this year, we introduced additional Work Coach support nationally to provide personalised support for people with health conditions and disabilities on Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance. This tailored support from Work Coaches will open-up access for disabled people to employment and skills support, and wider provision. This trial of additional support is already available to eligible claimants in one-third of Jobcentres and will rollout wider from 2023.

This new Work Coach support is for claimants currently awaiting their Work Capability Assessment, and for claimants following their Work Capability Assessment who have been found to have limited capability for work or work-related activity, but that want help to move into the labour market over time. This support builds on learning from previous trials, including the Personal Support Package.

Alongside this, DWP continues to offer other personalised provision and tailored support through the Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support. The Work and Health Programme has delivered personalised support for 220,000 unemployed and inactive people including 170,000 disabled people. We have extended referrals on the programme so that Work Coaches can continue to refer suitable claimants until September 2024. This extension will provide additional support for around 100,000 more mostly disabled people.

IPES is voluntary provision for unemployed and inactive disabled people with complex barriers to employment, who are motivated to work, but are more than twelve months from the labour market without intensive support. IPES was launched in England and Wales in December 2019 and will provide support for 11,000 disabled people by December 2023.