Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 15 of the policy paper entitled 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, published on 3 July 2025, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential merits of co-locating Job Centre services within Neighbourhood Health Centres.

Our aim is to have a Neighbourhood Health Centre in each community that provides easier, more convenient access to a full range of health and care services on people’s doorsteps, bringing together National Health Service, local authority, and voluntary sector services in one building to help create a holistic offer that meets the needs of local populations.

We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While we will be clear on the outcomes we expect, and we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need, for example to consider the merits of co-locating Job Centre services within Neighbourhood Health Centres. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, this will mean services will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities.

The rollout of Neighbourhood Health Centres will be progressive over this Parliament, with early sites focused on the areas of greatest need.

Furthermore, the Government is committed to supporting more individuals into employment. On 9 October, the Department for Work Pensions confirmed Connect to Work funding of over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years, which will support 300,000 disabled people and people with health conditions and/or other complex barriers to employment to find and remain in work.

There is a range of existing Department for Work Pensions employment support depending on individual needs, including local level provision for disabled people and disadvantaged groups. This includes employment advisors in Talking Therapies, increased Work Coach Support in Job Centres, and Access to Work grants, among others.