Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to include people with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions in the development of employment support programmes.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million of investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November and will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group, so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Measures include support from work coaches and disability employment advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through employment advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, individual placement and support in primary care, and WorkWell.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen employment opportunities in sectors experiencing the sharpest decline in job opportunities.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Following a peak during the pandemic, vacancies are returning to their long-term average. There are currently 728k vacancies, slightly above the long-term series average of 696k.
We recognise the need to provide working-age adults with the support they need to pursue opportunities in the workforce, which is essential for economic growth.
We are already delivering the biggest overhaul of jobcentres in a generation, backed by £240 million investment to boost employment.
By bringing apprenticeships, adult further education, skills training, careers guidance, and Skills England under DWP’s remit, we’re creating strong pathways to support the millions of people across the country.
This will mean a greater focus on adult skills and career outcomes, getting people into skilled work in sectors that need labour – like construction.
Part of our approach is the use of DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) that help employers with immediate and future employment needs by upskilling benefit claimants to fill local job vacancies.
Asked by: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of people leaving the labour market due to long-term sickness.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell.
It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.
In our March Green Paper, we set out our Pathways to Work Guarantee, backed by £1 billion a year of new additional funding by 2030. We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits.
The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support people with endometriosis in the workplace in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including women with endometriosis, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell.
It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.
In our March Green Paper, we set out our Pathways to Work Guarantee, backed by £1 billion a year of new additional funding by 2030. We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits.
The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to promote initiatives to help reskill older workers without IT skills.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions currently offers support for those out of work, including older jobseekers, through its network of Jobcentres and through contracted employment programmes.
Where a work coach becomes aware that a customer lacks digital skills, they can refer them to suitable provision for example, Foundation Digital Skills, and then onto Essential Digital Skills. In addition, work coaches and employers are supported by 50PLUS Champions working across all 37 Jobcentre Districts. 50PLUS Champions act as enablers, working collaboratively to strengthen the support available to customers over the age of 50. Examples of personalised activities that Champions organise for older jobseekers include digital awareness sessions and confidence building. Through Midlife MOT reviews, delivered in Jobcentres across the UK and the digital MOT online, we also support older people to review their health, finances and skills.
The Government is reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new Jobs and Careers Service that will enable everyone, including the over 50s, to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in their careers. This includes an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice. The new service across Great Britain will be universal and
available to anyone who wants to look for work, increase their earnings, re-train, upskill, or change their career.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants have not attended in-person appointments at Jobcentres in the last (a) three, (b) six and (c) twelve months.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost to develop the appropriate code and analyse the raw data.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to help tackle inequalities experienced by young disabled people at work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP supports young people aged 16-24 to achieve financial security by helping them to move into, stay and succeed in work. Support is delivered nationally and locally, tailored to individual needs, and includes personalised help from Work Coaches in Jobcentres and communities, working with partners such as The King’s Trust, Local Authorities, and the National Careers Service/Career Wales.
Our plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 (including young people with health conditions or disabled young people) to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. Eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers were launched earlier this year, and the insights gained will inform the future design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee.
For young people with complex needs, specialist Youth Employability Coaches (YECs) offer dedicated intensive support in Jobcentres and communities. This includes help with CV, interview preparation, skill development, and accessing opportunities such as Supported Internships, Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes, apprenticeships or traineeships. Support typically lasts six months, with flexibility to extend, and includes six weeks follow on support after young people enter work, education or training. YECs also work closely with Disability Employment Advisers and specialist partner organisations, to provide joined-up, holistic support.
Additional support is also available to help people with health conditions and disabilities of all ages. The WorkWell pilot, currently running in 15 areas across England, provides integrated work and health support to help people get into, stay in, and progress at work. Services include work and health assessments, coaching, physiotherapy, mental health support, and advice on workplace adjustments.
An Access to Work grant can also support people with a health condition or disability, by funding the purchase of specialist equipment, providing a tailored plan to help stay in work or funding access to sessions with a mental health professional. It also covers in-work support for young disabled people undertaking Supported Internships, helping them build confidence, develop skills, and move into paid employment.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing an Older People’s Commissioner for England.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has not made an assessment on an Older People’s Commissioner. Our commitment to the pensions Triple Lock throughout this Parliament will see millions of pensioners receive up to £470 more this year added to their State Pension and our increased income threshold for Winter Fuel Payments of £35,000 a year will see over three quarters of pensioners in England and Wales receiving the payment later this Winter.
DWP currently offers employment support for those older jobseekers affected by low confidence, menopause, health and disability or caring pressures, and out of date skills or qualifications. Through Midlife MOTs, delivered in Jobcentres across the UK, and online, we support older people to assess their health, finances and skills.
The Government is reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new jobs and careers service that will enable everyone, including the over-50s, to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in their careers. This includes an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help support young people into (a) employment, (b) education and (c) training in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to ensuring young people have access to the support they need to move into sustainable employment. DWP currently provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities, working alongside partners such as the Kings Trust, Local Authorities, National Careers Service/Career Wales, local colleges and Youth Trusts.
In Newcastle-under-Lyme we are working closely with stakeholders through the Newcastle Employment and Skills Group – including Aspire Housing and Keele University – to connect young people with job opportunities and tailored support. Programmes such as Positive Directions and We Mean Business are providing fully funded five-week courses for 16–24-year-olds not in education, employment or training covering areas such as fitness instruction, customer service, and entrepreneurship.
Also, Newcastle College is expanding its offer to include ESOL, functional skills, and employability courses, while Keele University is piloting new pathways to widen participation in higher education. Local initiatives are also delivering training in digital marketing, cyber security, and mental health first aid.
In addition, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) and collaboration with care leaver schemes are helping young people with complex barriers into sustained employment.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Office for National Statistics' dataset entitled CC02 Regional labour market, published on 12 August 2025, what steps she is taking to support young people into work in Eastleigh constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to ensuring young people have access to the support they need to move into sustainable employment. DWP currently provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities, working alongside partners such as the Kings Trust, Local Authorities, National Careers Service/Career Wales, local colleges and Youth Trusts.
Local Youth Employment Coaches in Eastleigh are providing tailored, intensive support through extended appointments and a range of targeted opportunities including:
We have also set up job matching support to assist young people with their job applications and securing suitable roles. In addition, we are providing outreach services in Romsey, while not exclusively aimed at young people, these services help overcome transport barriers in a region with a predominantly younger demographic.