The government is to introduce work coaches to enable more people out of work because of sickness or disability to regain access to employment.

The initiative by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will see 1,000 work coaches being deployed to, as the DWP has put it, “deliver intensive employment support to sick and disabled people as part of the government’s Plan for Change which will break down barriers to opportunity”.

The voluntary support will be targeted at around 65,000 sick and disabled people to offer help with things such as writing CVs and interview techniques. The coaches will also signpost people to other DWP support and employment programmes.

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However, there may be something of a trust barrier to overcome as a survey published by the DWP has found that 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition believe it does not provide enough support to people who are out of work because of a disability, ill health, or a long-term health condition.

The DWP Perceptions Survey also found that 35% of disabled people and people with a health condition believed the government department does not provide enough support to people of working age who are out of work, to help them get back into work.

A total of 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition did not trust the DWP to help people reach their full career potential.

Nearly two in five disabled people and people with a health condition (39%) did not trust DWP to take its customers’ needs into account in how it provides services.

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said: “Many sick and disabled people want and can work, with the right support. And we know that good work is good for people – for their living standards, for their mental and physical health, and for their ability to live independently.

“We’re determined to fix the broken benefits system as part of our Plan for Change by reforming the welfare system and delivering proper support to help people get into work and get on at work, so we can get Britain working and deliver our ambition of an 80% employment rate,” she added.

Ben Harrison, director of the think-tank the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said the move was, broadly, to be welcomed.

However, he also cautioned: “As welfare budgets come under increased pressure, ministers must resist the temptation to think about these changes in terms of carrots and sticks to push people into employment, and instead focus squarely on de-risking returning to work for those who can, while protecting the living standards, wellbeing and dignity of those who can’t.

“To build trust with disabled people and those with a long-term health conditions, government must work to provide more sustainable and secure job opportunities. This should include increased access to flexible working to help manage health conditions – a recent Department for Work and Pensions study showed that a quarter (25%) of those who are out of work and claiming health and disability benefits might be able to work, if they could do this from home.

“But the reality is prevention is better than cure, and it’s critical the government works proactively with employers to stem the flow of people leaving the labour market in the first place. Work Foundation evidence suggests early intervention is key to support the one in ten employees who drop out of work within four years of experiencing a health issue. To help these workers remain in or return to employment, government should work with employers to increase access to occupational health services, rights to flexible working – and strengthen sick pay,” Harrison added.

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