The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to redeploy 1,000 work coaches to address economic inactivity across the UK. These efforts aim at providing personalized and intensive support to thousands of individuals facing long-term sickness or disability. The initiative comes amid rising concerns over the soaring costs of sickness benefits, which reached £65 billion last year—a significant increase from the pre-Covid period. Projections suggest this figure may rise to approximately £100 billion before the next general election.
Currently, around 2.8 million people are economically inactive due to long-term sickness. The DWP acknowledges that the existing system does not intervene early enough to prevent unemployment or effectively support people in re-entering the workforce. A recent survey revealed that 44% of disabled individuals and those with health conditions do not trust the DWP to help them achieve their full career potential, nor do they believe there is sufficient support for those out of work due to disability or illness.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall described the DWP as a "broken" welfare system, emphasizing the need for reform.
"For too long, sick, and disabled people have been told they can't work, denied support, and locked out of jobs, with all the benefits that good work brings," said Liz Kendall.
She further highlighted that many of these individuals have the potential to work with appropriate assistance.
"But many sick and disabled people want and can work, with the right support."
The DWP plans to unveil comprehensive employment support reforms within weeks, with the redeployment of work coaches seen as a "downpayment" on these forthcoming changes. Despite these initiatives, the Resolution Foundation warns that only about 3% of those who are likely to lose benefit payments are expected to find employment.
The Ipsos-conducted survey included 5,002 respondents, among whom 1,705 identified as having a long-term health condition or disability affecting their daily activities. These findings underscore the pressing need for systemic changes within the DWP. Currently characterized as "defined by poor experiences and low trust among many people who use it," the department aims to improve its reputation and effectiveness through these newly announced efforts.
The data from this survey is slated for full publication in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the redeployed work coaches will begin their mission by providing tailored and "intensive" support to those in need, marking a pivotal step towards revamping employment assistance for the UK's sick and disabled population.