Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether disabled people claiming employment support allowance will be eligible for support under her Department's Restart scheme.

The Restart Scheme is a large-scale, tailored employment support offer for those who have been unemployed for longer periods, helping people affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19 back into sustained work.

The Restart Scheme will be open to Universal Credit claimants, including disabled people, who have been unemployed for between 12 to 18 months and are expected to look for and be available for work, but have no sustained earnings. There will also be an opportunity for discretionary referrals for other Universal Credit claimants at the appropriate time based on individual claimant and Work Coach discussions.

For disabled people, including those on Employment Support Allowance, who require more intensive employment support would also have access to both the Work and Health Programme (WHP) and Intensive Personalised Employment Support (IPES) and can volunteer for this support at any time. The WHP predominantly helps people with a wide range of disabilities and health conditions to enter into and stay in work, using the expertise of private, public and voluntary, and community sector providers. IPES is an intensive, highly personalised voluntary support package that is flexible to participants’ needs