These are different to Jobcentre work coaches and will not sanction people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks to local areas hitting the ground running, it is already delivering results \u2013 proving that when we invest in people and communities, everyone wins,\u201d McFadden said.<\/p>\n
The DWP claims that at least 40,000 more disabled and unwell people will receive \u201cintensive employment support\u201d as a result of the new funding unveiled on Thursday (9 October).<\/p>\n
Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n
Catherine Parsons, managing director of the Big Issue\u2019s free recruitment support service Big Issue Recruit<\/a>, said: \u201cWe\u2019re encouraged to see that the government will be embedding job advisers in GP surgeries and other health providers. We know from our experience with\u00a0Big Issue Recruit\u00a0that many people with health conditions want to work, and that good quality work can have a positive impact on people\u2019s wellbeing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe trust built between a jobseeker and their job coach is a foundation for developing the confidence needed to break down employment barriers and be prepared for work. Therefore, it\u2019s vital that jobseekers do not feel pressured or forced back into employment before they\u2019re ready if we want them to retain any job they obtain. There is also a need for employers to have greater flexibility in making work sustainable for employees with health conditions. Only when work sticks can employees, employers and the wider economy feel the benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n However, disability charities have raised concerns. James Taylor, executive director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope<\/a>, said: \u201cThere are a million disabled people who want to work but are denied the opportunity, and investment in specialist, personalised employment support for disabled people is essential.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the government must make sure it\u2019s not pressuring people who are not well enough to work. Support must be optional and flexible, instead of built on a culture of fear<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cInvestment in employment support must not be a trade-off with disability benefits, which are vital for covering the extra costs disabled people face, whether they\u2019re working or not.\u201d<\/p>\n This summer saw the government met with significant backlash<\/a> over its plans to cut disability benefits from Labour MPs. It was forced to water down the proposals, with cuts to personal independence payment<\/a> (PIP) paused until a review of the assessment process has concluded.<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n This will be led by disability minister Stephen Timms<\/a> and co-produced with disabled people.<\/p>\n Cuts to the health element of universal credit<\/a> are still going ahead. These will only impact new claimants, but around 700,000 people are expected to be affected by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n Ayla Ozmen, director of policy for campaigns at anti-poverty charity Z2K<\/a>, welcomed government investment in employment support services for disabled people but added: \u201cThe government must also look at how our broken and cruel social security system is fuelling this problem. <\/p>\n \u201cRather than seeking to make the system even meaner through more ill-considered cuts, we want to see the Timms Review set out a positive vision for disability benefits reform that actually addresses the barriers to work faced by disabled people.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Trust in the DWP remains low, and there are fears that having job advisers in healthcare settings will mean people are less likely to seek medical help.<\/p>\n This could lead to people\u2019s health worsening, pushing them further away from the workplace and needing more significant intervention from the NHS in the long term \u2013 heaping pressure on an already over-burdened healthcare system<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n Mikey Erhardt, policy lead at Disability Rights UK<\/a>, said: \u201cPutting job advisers into GP\u00a0surgeries is a huge risk. We know that due to its\u00a0years of failure and dangerous practices, the majority of disabled people do not trust the DWP.<\/p>\n \u201cPutting DWP workers into health settings only further blurs the lines between health and work. You can\u2019t work yourself out of poor health. We know it\u2019s the failure of government to make work safe, accessible\u00a0and well-paying, which means that\u00a0hundreds of thousands leave work because they are getting sicker.<\/p>\n \u201cWe struggle to understand how working on a CV will help someone unable to work because their physical or mental health is a barrier. If anything, this will just make people less likely to seek help \u2013worried that the toxic interactions they have at the Jobcentre will now carry over to their local GP.\u201d<\/p>\n Charities argue that people\u2019s health should be the priority before they are offered employment support.<\/p>\n Alexa Knight, director of policy and influencing at the Mental Health Foundation<\/a>, said: \u201cWhen someone is both out of work and experiencing a mental health problem, the focus should always be on helping that person feel better first, before finding them a job.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOnce someone does feel well enough to begin exploring a return to work, programmes like this, which aim to provide holistic employment and health support in familiar locations, can be a real benefit to their health and ability to rejoin the workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n Government data shows that more than one in four disability benefit claimants<\/a> feel they might be able to work in the future but only if their health improves.<\/p>\n Knight added: \u201cWhile some measures being taken forward by the government, such as the Employment Rights Bill, will make changes that should help the workplace work better for those of us with disabilities, these will not automatically transform every job into being mentally healthy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe challenge for Connect to Work will be how successfully the programme helps people find the kinds of jobs that support positive mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this?\u00a0Get in touch and tell us more<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Reader-funded since 1991 \u2013 Big Issue brings you trustworthy journalism that drives real change.<\/p>\n Every day, our journalists dig deeper, speaking up for those society overlooks.<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Support-journalism-in-article-CTA.png\")
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