![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.asianstandard.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Sir-Sadiq_Khan_.jpg\")
<\/a>Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London. Image: Wikipedia<\/p>\nSir Sadiq has been calling for control over programmes to get the unemployed into work for over a decade, saying in 2016 that more autonomy on the issue would \u201cbetter help Londoners\u201d to get jobs.<\/p>\n
Last year, he repeated these calls, telling the London Assembly that he wanted a \u201cgreater role in overseeing skills and employment provisions\u201d. In July, he told Assembly Members that City Hall could make a \u201cbig difference\u201d in reducing the number of young adults not in education, employment or training.<\/p>\n
In recent years, the Mayor has demanded \u201cdeeper devolution of skills and employment\u201d through a multi-year funding settlement for London, a boost to the Adult Skills Fund and more powers over employment support.<\/p>\n
City Hall recently launched London\u2019s first Deaf and Disabled Londoners Action Plan, which highlights the Mayor\u2019s Inclusive Talent Strategy (ITS) and Get London Working plan as ways to close the employment gap.<\/p>\n
Mr Timms, who was also briefly responsible for welfare reform under the last Labour government in 2008, said ministers were working closely with City Hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big priority for the government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a large gap, and it\u2019s been like that since 2010 \u2013 we really now want to get that gap down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Employment support and disability grants<\/p>\n
In 2024, the Government launched Connect to Work, a voluntary programme to help people with disabilities or health conditions find sustainable work.<\/p>\n
In London, four different partners are rolling this out across the boroughs, with Mr Timms suggesting early data from the capital is \u201cencouraging\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe actual commissioning is being done entirely locally,\u201d he added. \u201cLocal authorities can choose who the best people, organisations, charities maybe, colleges, who who are the best locally to deliver the programme. And in that way, we are confident that we will be able to provide a programme which is well-tailored to the particular local circumstances in each area.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, he warned that there had been a \u201csurge\u201d in demand for Access to Work grants, which provide practical or mental health support for employees whose disability or long-term health condition affects their work.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThat\u2019s led to quite a big backlog and long delays for people. We\u2019re now going through an exercise of recruiting an extra 500 people, who\u2019ll all be in post by the end of this year. They\u2019ll need to be trained up, and we\u2019re confident then that by September next year, we will have eliminated the backlog and we\u2019ll be fully up to speed with everything.<\/p>\n