Funding Awarded to Support East Riding Residents with Health Conditions into Work

A substantial new employment programme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is set to deliver millions of pounds to the East Riding of Yorkshire over the next five years to help residents facing barriers to employment.

The initiative, known as the Connect to Work Programme, is a key pillar of the government’s Get Britain Working Strategy, aiming to help people with health conditions, disabled individuals, and those with complex barriers to work secure suitable, sustained employment.

The total funding package allocated for delivery across Hull and East Yorkshire amounts to £12.5 million over five years, running from 2025 until 31 March 2030. Of this sum, 40% is designated for delivery within the East Riding. The council is anticipated to receive £2.7 million across the five years to directly deliver certain elements of the support programme.

Claire Watts, Director of Economic Development and Communications at East Riding Council, detailed the nature of the support and the financial scope of the programme.

"This is a new program proposed by the Department of Work and Pensions trying to predominantly help people with health conditions and disabled people and people with more complex barriers to work get into employment if they wish to do so to find a suitable job and to sustain work.

It's a wraparound program. It works through the principle of people having personal advisers who work very closely with them before they go into work and once they get into work to retain that at work or if they're already in work to help them to progress to overcome their barriers."

Claire Watts also outlined the financial split and timeline, noting:

"12.5 million pounds over the next 5 years for Hull and East Yorkshire. 60% of that is for delivery in Hull and 40% for delivery in East Riding.

It is the only replacement for UK share prosperity in terms of people and skills that we have at the current time. It doesn't fully cover the activity that is currently delivered. So we will need to seek additional support for people who do not fit the client group for this but still need employability support.

But fundamentally at the moment this program is there. It's ready to start. Ideally, it will start in November this year."

The programme is also designed to assist individuals currently in work who may be at risk of falling out of the labour market and are struggling to retain their job. It is a voluntary initiative focused on person-centred employment support targeted individually to participants.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) anticipates the delivery plan will commence in November/December 2025.

Councillor Nick Coutlish expressed strong support for the programme, focusing on demographic benefits and future leadership.

"Given the UK's aging population and the striking statistic that 25% of people out of work due to health related reasons are under 35, I actually fully back this. I think it's a good step in the right direction.

I look forward to the responsibility going to the mayor's office. I think the mayor in particular will be quite passionate about this kind of thing. Given his interest in health and well-being, I think it can only benefit us."

While Hull City Council is the accountable body for the Connect to Work grant funding, East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) will act as an ‘in-house provider’ for the programme. The delivery aims to be flexible and highly responsive.

The council’s existing Learning, Skills and Workforce Development team (LSWD) and the Worklink team will be instrumental in the delivery of the programme. The Worklink team currently provides employment support to residents, based at sites including Bridlington and Hornsea.

The government’s ambition, according to documents relating to the grant, is to reduce economic inactivity by providing targeted support to those facing the most significant employment challenges. The Connect to Work programme will utilise evidence-based models of support, including the Integrated Placement Support (IPS) framework. The IPS model is an intensive, tailored programme that integrates employment specialists into treatment teams.

Specific groups eligible for support include those with defined disabilities, ex-offenders, carers, refugees, young people identified as being involved in serious violence, and former members of His Majesty's Armed Forces or their partners.