Tag: Department for Work and Pensions

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 April 2025.

Millions of pensioners will receive as much as £470 more a year added to their State Pension from today, thanks to the government’s’ ironclad commitment to the pensions Triple Lock throughout this Parliament.

This comes alongside the annual uprating of working-age benefits such as Universal Credit, with people receiving those set to receive an extra £150 on average over the course of this year – an increase set to benefit 5.7 million working-age households. Disability benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Carers Allowance and child benefits are also set to increase by the same amount.

The Triple Lock – which guarantees that the State Pension increases annually by the highest of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5% – means the basic and new State Pensions are increasing by 4.1%, well above the current level of inflation.

These changes come alongside increases to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, benefiting three million eligible workers across the country. With the National Living Wage increasing to £12.21 for those aged 21 and over and the National Minimum Wage for those aged 18 to 20 seeing a record increase to £10 an hour, three million workers will benefit, with eligible full-time workers set to see an increase in their annual salary of £1,400.

This support is securing Britain’s future through the Plan for Change, which is delivering security and renewal by kick-starting economic growth to put more money in working people’s pockets and rebuilding the NHS.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

Our ironclad commitment to the Triple Lock gives pensioners across the country the certainty and security they need to live a full life in retirement.

We are putting more money in people’s pockets and driving up household income as part of our Plan for Change.

Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:

Raising the State Pension and rescuing the NHS – these are this government’s priorities to give all pensioners the dignity they deserve in their retirement. Those who have worked hard throughout their lives, paying into the system, are owed nothing less.

We’re improving the lives of millions of pensioners through our £7.84 billion additional funding for the State Pension this year. That means up to £470 extra in pensioners’ pockets from this week and comes alongside our work to boost Pension Credit uptake, and the £26 billion we’ve invested in the NHS that has seen waiting lists in England fall for 5 months in a row.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

With today’s increase in working-age benefits, and our ironclad commitment to pensioners through the Triple Lock, we are making the decisions that support those who need it in Britain, putting money into people’s pockets and delivering our Plan for Change.

The uprating of State Pensions and working-age benefits amounts to a cash boost of over £6.9 billion, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring pensioners enjoy the dignity and respect they deserve in retirement, while also supporting low-income families.

It also comes alongside proposals for the biggest welfare reforms for a generation. These measures are designed to ensure a welfare system that is fit for purpose and available for future generations – opening up employment opportunities, boosting economic growth and tackling the spiralling benefits bill while also ensuring those who cannot work get the support they need.

That support also includes help for pensioners. The government’s drive to support low-income pensioners has led to 50,000 extra Pension Credit awards since the summer – an increase of 64% compared to the same period last year.

Pension Credit is worth on average £4,300 a year and also unlocks support including help with Housing Costs, Council Tax and free television licenses.

Support also includes a £742 million extension of the Household Support Fund in England, from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026, providing support with the cost of essentials such as food, heating and bills.

Additional information:

• The majority of the new rates will apply from Monday 7 April 2025. Please see here for a full list of rising benefits: Benefit and pension rates 2025 to 2026 – GOV.UK
• Those in receipt of the State Pension and other uprated benefits will see an increase in their next payments following Monday 7 April.
• Details of when the State Pension is paid can be found on GOV.UK: The new State Pension – GOV.UK
• With uprating in effect, pensioners receiving the full basic State Pension will see their weekly payments rise from £169.50 to £176.45 per week, worth an additional £360 a year. In addition, the full rate of the new State Pension will increase from £221.20 to £230.25 per week, an increase of £470 a year.
• People in receipt of Universal Credit and other benefits including Personal Independence Payments will see their payments increase by 1.7% with 5.7 million households on Universal Credit to gain £150 on average.
• The minimum guarantee for Pension Credit – the minimum amount that someone on Pension Credit will receive – is also set to increase by 4.1% from 7 April. For single pensioners it will increase from £218.15 to £227.10. For couples it will increase from £332.95 to £346.60.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 4 April 2025.

Liz Kendall visits Barnsley to unveil first of nine ‘trailblazers’ which will get people back to health and back to work, supported by £18m of £125m investment.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has unveiled the first of nine trailblazer programmes in Barnsley to get Britain back to health and back to work, nine months on from her landmark speech on employment reforms in the same town.

South Yorkshire is one of nine £125 million backed ‘inactivity trailblazers’ across the country to launch, with the aim of helping areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity as part of the wider Plan for Change.

Backed by £18 million, South Yorkshire plans a dedicated new service working with employers to hire those with health conditions, and a new “triage” system to make it quicker and easier to connect people to employment, health, and skills support.

This work will include preventing people falling out of work completely due to ill health through an NHS programme, working with people with conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease to diabetes. This could include arranging voluntary work as a stepping stone to paid employment or helping people receive the right treatment early so they can remain in a job. Similar NHS programmes have also kicked off this week in the North East and West Yorkshire.

South Yorkshire has already had success in tailoring support to meet the needs of local people, including:

• Gerald who spent years working in the coal mining industry. With the help of South Yorkshire, he’s developing his digital skills and first aid abilities so he can continue to share his knowledge with others through volunteering.
• Ruby who has a learning and physical disability. She was told she would never walk or work, but South Yorkshire worked with local employer Barnsley Norse, who provide cleaning and caretaking services, to create a bespoke role with amended duties, including shorter shifts so she could build stamina and confidence.
• John, who has improved his prospects through engagement with South Yorkshire, working towards a qualification in English and Maths. He is volunteering with Barnsley Museums and now has paid employment with Age UK, and two relief positions with the Museums service.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP said:

For too long, whole areas of the UK have been written off and deprived of investment. We are turning the tide on this – as we believe in the potential of every single person across our country and that they deserve to benefit from the security and dignity that good work affords.

This is why we’re investing £125 million into nine local areas to get Britain back to health and back to work – with our new approach making it quicker and easier for people to access the support they need to stay in work if they have a health condition or return to work.

South Yorkshire is the first to kick off their innovative plans – backed by £18 million – and we will be launching more areas in the coming weeks as we put more money in people’s pockets, boost living standards and Get Britain Working under our Plan for Change.

South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard said:

We know that South Yorkshire’s industrial past has left a legacy of poor health and low skills that holds people back right across our communities; holding people back from accessing good work, making the most of their potential or living their fullest lives.

That’s why we developed the pioneering Pathways to Work approach here in Barnsley, and why we’re now working with the Government to roll that programme out across the whole of South Yorkshire. From today people will receive tailored support, bringing together the health system, the skills and employment system, to truly help people back into decent work.

I’m really pleased that South Yorkshire is now leading with the first inactivity trailblazer and NHS growth accelerator to launch in the UK, because it means we can help people more quickly and more effectively, and in a more tailored way. That’s not just the right thing to do for those people locked out of finding good work, it’s the right thing for our economy too, helping us to create the bigger and better economy we need and deserve here in our region.

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton MP added:

Poor health is holding back too many people across the country, keeping them languishing on waiting lists when they could be getting back to their jobs and lives. Innovative services like these are critical to tackling economic inactivity.

This support will get people working again, which is vital because we know being in work leads to better overall heath and helps grow the economy.

Though the Plan for Change we will make people healthier, reduce pressure on the NHS, all while helping them into fulfilling and rewarding careers.

The trailblazer programmes, which have been designed largely by civil servants based in Sheffield working with Mayoral Combined Authorities, are part of the Government’s wider efforts to reach an 80 per cent employment rate, which includes a record £1 billion investment in helping disabled people and those with long-term health conditions who can work into work and an overhaul of Jobcentres to make sure they meet the needs of employers.

Through their new initiatives, South Yorkshire aims to reduce inactivity from 25.5% in 2023 to under 20% by the end of 2029 – equivalent to helping 40,000 people across the area. Their trailblazer has been shaped by Barnsley’s Pathways to Work Commission – a landmark report that heard directly from local residents who have experienced barriers to accessing work.

Once a crucible of the industrial revolution from steelmaking to coal mining, South Yorkshire has felt the full brunt of the industrial slump – and denied the investment and opportunity to thrive, with many people suffering from long-term health conditions.

This new funding will help unlock the potential of the hardworking people across the region and help them get back to health and back to work. This is central to the government’s drive to deliver growth across the region – and will work alongside the 10-year Sheffield Growth Plan.

South Yorkshire marks one of nine inactivity trailblazers going live across England and Wales. In the coming weeks, similar schemes will launch in: Greater Manchester, North East, York and North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Wales; and three in London (West London, South London and Local London).

In addition, eight youth trailblazer areas will also be set up across mayoral authorities in England with £45 million funding in the coming weeks, to ensure all 18–21-year-olds have access to education, training, and employment opportunities.

The government has published local Get Britain Working Plan guidance for Local Government and stakeholders across England to develop a coordinated approach to supporting people into and remaining in good work.

As part of a drive to show transparency and track delivery, the Government is also publishing Get Britain Working outcome metrics, based on analysis of the ONS’ Labour Force Survey data.

Further Information

• With 230,000 economically inactive people in South Yorkshire, £10 million of the investment will go towards helping people who have been inactive for less than two years, as well as those with long-term health conditions, in Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham.
• The remaining £8 million will fund the NHS Accelerator programme. This is the first time that the NHS in England will have responsibility for work as well as health outcomes, with similar schemes rolling out in West Yorkshire and the North East. They will also improve access to Talking Therapies, which provides treatment such as cognitive behavioural therapy to adults.
• Both programmes aim to work with a total of 7,800 people and help up to 3,000 of those into jobs or to stay in work in the first year.
• Sheffield’s Growth Plan is a 10-year plan to grow the economy, giving local people higher living standards and more opportunities. The South Yorkshire inactivity trailblazer represents that this government is focusing investment on places still experiencing the consequences of the past.
• The nine inactivity trailblazers, backed by £125 million of UK Government funding, is giving power to the Welsh Government and some Mayoral Authorities to design joined up work, health and skills offers.
• Funding for Scotland and Northern Ireland has been devolved in the usual way.
• The Get Britain Working metrics have been published: Get Britain Working outcomes – GOV.UK
• The measures have been built based on analysis of the ONS’ Labour Force Survey data and segment out health related inactivity, regional variations in employment rates and the disability employment rate gap.
• The local Get Britain Working Plan guidance has been published: Guidance for Developing local Get Britain Working plans (England) – GOV.UK
• The guidance will ensure all areas are working towards the government’s 80% employment ambition.
• The eight youth trailblazers will be in: Liverpool, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, West of England, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and two in London
• Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.
• The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.
• The announcement of the first inactivity trailblazer comes as the Government and National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) invests £7.4 million in four research projects across the UK to help reduce health-related economic inactivity.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 March 2025.

Work will be unlocked for thousands of sick and disabled people through new measures that will bolster the support offered in Jobcentres and make the welfare system more sustainable, the Department for Work and Pensions has announced today [Thursday 06 March].

• New plans to improve employment support brought forward ahead of wider reform package to fix broken welfare system.
• 1,000 work coaches deployed to 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.
• It comes as a new survey reveals scale of the broken system with nearly half of disabled people and those with a health condition saying they don’t trust DWP to support them.

The plans will see 1,000 existing Work Coaches deployed in 2025/26 to deliver intensive voluntary support to around 65,000 sick and disabled people – helping them to break down barriers to opportunity, drive growth and unlock the benefits of work.

This intensive support for people on health-related benefits – including those furthest away from work – will see Work Coaches providing tailored and personalised employment support, and help claimants access other support such as writing CVs and interview techniques. They will also access a range of DWP employment programmes to help claimants unlock work based on conversations with their Work Coaches.

The additional help will be delivered by reprioritising work coach time so they can focus on tackling economic inactivity in order to make the welfare system more sustainable. The 1,000 redeployed Work Coaches are a “downpayment” on wide-ranging plans to overhaul employment support, which are set to be unveiled in just a few weeks’ time.

It is part of the Government’s Plan for Change – which will boost living standards and grow the economy by unlocking work for the 2.8 million people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness – the highest in the G7 – and bring down spending on incapacity benefits which is expected to reach £70 billion by the end of this parliament.

It comes as new survey results show the current system isn’t just failing the taxpayer, it’s also failing the people it’s meant to help, with 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition believing DWP does not provide enough support to people who are out of work due to disability, ill health, or a long-term health condition.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP said:

We inherited a broken welfare system that is failing sick and disabled people, is bad for the taxpayer, and holding the economy back.

For too long, sick and disabled people have been told they can’t work, denied support, and locked out of jobs, with all the benefits that good work brings.

But 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.

The data from the DWP Perceptions Survey – soon to be published in full – also shows:

• 35% of disabled people and people with a health condition believe DWP does not provide enough support to people of working age who are out of work, to help them get back into work.
• 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition don’t trust the DWP to help people reach their full career potential.
• Nearly 2 in 5 (39%) disabled people and people with a health condition do not trust DWP to take its customers’ needs into account in how it provides services.

These figures follow recently released data which shows that there are over three million people on Universal Credit with no obligation to engage in work-related activity, despite over a quarter (27%) of health and disability benefit claimants believing that work could be possible in the future if their health improves and 200,000 saying they would be ready to work now.

Data also shows the number of working-age people on Universal Credit with no work-related requirements has risen to 3.1 million, reflecting the alarming rate at which young and working aged people are increasingly falling out of work and claiming incapacity benefits.

Behind each of these statistics is a person with hopes and ambitions, who can provide businesses with much-needed skills and experience, helping to grow our economy.

To give people the support they deserve, and restore trust and fairness to our welfare system, reforms to the welfare system are expected to be announced in just a few weeks.

These reforms will recognise that some people will be unable to work at points in their life and ensure they are provided with support while transforming the broken benefits system that:

• Asks people to demonstrate their incapacity to work to access higher benefits, which also then means they fear taking steps to get into work.
• Is built around a fixed “can versus can’t work” divide that does not reflect the variety of jobs, the reality of fluctuating health conditions, or the potential for people to expand what they can do, with the right support.
• Directs disabled people or those with a work-limiting health condition to a queue for an assessment, followed by no contact, no expectations, and no support if the state labels them as “unable” to work.
• Fails to intervene early to prevent people falling out of work and misses opportunities to support a return to work.
• Pushes people towards economic inactivity due to the stark and binary divide between benefits rates and conditionality rules for jobseekers compared to those left behind on the health element of Universal Credit.
• Has become defined by poor experiences and low trust among many people who use it, particularly on the assessment process.

The government’s plans to fix the broken benefit system will build on the biggest employment reforms in a generation announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, which will empower mayors to drive down economic inactivity, deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, and overhaul jobcentres across the country.

Former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield is leading an independent review investigating how government and employers can work together to help disabled people and those with ill health who may be at risk of falling out work stay on in employment, with the findings of the discovery phase expected in the spring.

The government is also investing an additional £26 billion to cut NHS waiting lists and get Britain back to health and back to work.

The government has already delivered on its pledge, providing two million extra appointments in five months and as a result, around 160,000 fewer patients on waiting lists today than in July.

Teams of clinicians will also introduce new ways of working at 20 hospital sites in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity to help patients return to the workforce faster. This is alongside the recruitment of an additional 8,500 mental health workers to ensure mental health is given the same attention as physical health.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 5 March 2025.

More than one million working people across the UK will see a rise in living standards thanks to improvements to Statutory Sick Pay, ministers have announced today.

• Landmark changes are all part of the government’s number one priority in the Plan for Change to grow the economy and put more money into working people’s pockets
• Announcement comes as the World Bank notes that ‘without improvements in productivity, there is no economic growth’
• The government has pledged to deliver on its promise to Make Work Pay with lower income workers no longer having to choose between their health or their jobs

This comes as the government delivers on the plan to boost workers’ rights and create a healthier, more productive workforce, which will be at the forefront of efforts to grow the economy – the priority of our Plan for Change.

The changes will mean up to 1.3 million people on low wages who find themselves ill will either receive 80% of their average weekly earnings or the rate of Statutory Sick Pay which will be £118.75 per week from April – whichever is lowest.

The move means some of the lowest earners will be up to £100 better off per week, compared to the current system. This safety net will enable people to have the time off they need to recover, so they can get better and remain in work rather than risk quitting altogether.

Under the government’s Plan for Change, this new fairer rate strikes the right balance between providing financial security for employees who fall ill, and the cost to businesses – all while retaining the incentives for people to return to work.

The UK has seen a slow-down in productivity in recent years that has been more severe than other nations, which is not acceptable. The World Bank has been clear that “without improvements in productivity, there is no economic growth”.

Today’s changes will boost productivity in the workforce to help drive growth and usher in a decade of national renewal.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner MP said:

What we put into our workforce, we get back and more.

That’s why we’re making Statutory Sick Pay a right for every worker for the first time so people can stay in work rather than risk dropping out.

This is a pro-worker, pro-business government in action – boosting productivity, while ensuring people don’t have to choose between health and wealth, helping deliver our Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall MP said:

For too long, sick workers have had to decide between staying at home and losing a day’s pay or soldiering on at their own risk just to make ends meet.

No one should ever have to choose between their health and earning a living, which is why we are making this landmark change.

The new rate is good for workers and fair on businesses as part our plan to boost rights and Make Work Pay, while delivering our Plan for Change.

The government’s response to its Statutory Sick Pay consultation has also been published today alongside other responses and amendments to the Employment Rights Bill, including on tackling fire and rehire and zero-hour contracts to tackle insecure work.

This latest move follows the commitment to ensure the right to sick pay from the first day of illness, and to make more people eligible by removing the need to earn Lower Earnings Limit.

Over 1,700 responses to a six-week consultation helped inform the decision on the new rate, taking in to account the views of businesses, charities, trade unions and workers.

TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, added:

Nobody should be plunged into hardship when they become ill.

These reforms will stop millions from facing a financial cliff edge if they get sick.

Making statutory sick pay available to all workers – and from day one – shows why the government’s Employment Rights Bill is so important.

With sick pay rights from the first day of sickness, you will know that your family is protected. And you can take the time you need to recover.

We hope this is the start of a programme of sick pay reform and will continue to make the case for higher future sick pay rates.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 27 February 2025.

New figures published today [Thursday 27 February] show a significant spike in Pension Credit applications following a DWP campaign to boost uptake, the highest since comparisons began in 2020.

• Record high number of Pension Credit applications with updated online claim form taking an average 16 minutes to complete
• DWP processing record number of claims a week, bringing down outstanding applications and giving the poorest pensioners vital support
• Support comes as the State Pension is set to rise by up to £1,900 for millions thanks to the government’s commitment to the Triple Lock

The department has now processed a record number of claims, reducing the number of applications yet to be cleared from its peak of 85,500 to just 33,700 by 23 February, which is in line with normal levels of Pension Credit claims waiting to be processed.

This has resulted in a record 117,800 applications being awarded – an increase of 45,800, or 64% – since the Chancellor’s announcement compared to the same period last year.

The department has also successfully boosted the numbers applying for Pension credit with a record 300,000 Pension Credit applications received this year alone. In response to the surge in applications, the DWP deployed 500 additional support staff to process them, resulting in a near doubling of cleared claims between 29 July 2024 and 23 February 2025.

The Pension Credit campaign and commitment to the Triple Lock deliver on this government’s Plan for Change, demonstrating our commitment to raise living standards for pensioners and provide security in retirement.

Building on the success of the campaign last autumn to boost Pension Credit applications, DWP is exploring further options to drive up claims by reaching the most isolated and poorest pensioners who are eligible for support, including:

• Writing to all pensioners who make a new claim for Housing Benefit and who appear to be entitled to Pension Credit – directly targeting this group to make a claim
• Starting new research on the triggers and motivations that encourage people to apply for Pension Credit and to understand what the barriers to claiming are – interviewing pensioners to hear their views and learn from their experiences
• Working across departments including HMRC to access databases with detail on household income, enabling us to identify pensioner households most likely to be eligible for Pension Credit and targeting them directly.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall said:

I’m delighted we’ve been able to reach so many pensioners who need to be on Pension Credit, which can be a lifeline to so many on low incomes.

The record high number of claims awarded follows months of work to drive awareness of Pension Credit and then to process the huge spike in applications we received, and now thousands more pensioners are accessing the range of support on offer.

We won’t stop there. We are absolutely committed to ensuring every pensioner is supported in their retirement – whether through our ongoing Pension Credit campaign, extending the Household Support Fund and our commitment to the Triple Lock on the State Pension.

Pension Credit provides a lifeline in retirement to pensioners on low incomes, providing access to additional support, including housing costs, council tax and the Winter Fuel Payment.

The online claim form – updated by the Work and Pensions Secretary after listening to the views of pensioners– means it now takes just 16 minutes on average to apply for Pension Credit and be eligible for up to £4,300, with 90 percent of new customers applying using the simple online form, or over the phone.

The Government is forecast to spend £174.8 billion on benefits for pensioners in Great Britain in 2025-26. This includes spending on the State Pension which is forecast to be £146.6 billion in 2025-26. Crucially the government’s commitment to the Triple Lock for the entirety of this Parliament means that spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion.

Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London said:

There was a lot of focus on December’s deadline to claim Pension Credit in order to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment for 2024, but people can apply for Pension Credit any time, and it could be worth over £4,000 a year.

Our research shows that many people are missing out because they haven’t checked to see if they qualify.  Three in ten people over State Pension age who were on a low income hadn’t checked to see if they were entitled to Pension Credit, while one in ten pensioners who had been told they qualified for Pension Credit have yet to apply.

You can backdate your claim for Pension Credit by up to three months, and the sooner you claim, the sooner you could start receiving payments. Not only that, but, if you’re entitled to Pension Credit, you’ll be able to get extra help with costs such as rent and Council Tax, which could make a big difference.

Anyone who knows a low-income pensioner who may be isolated and needs support has been urged to remind or assist family members and friends to check their eligibility and apply today. Eligible claims can also be backdated by up to 3 months, ensuring pensioners do not miss out on the support they are entitled to.

To better support DWP customers, State Pension and Pension Credit teams have been working more closely together to support customers. When someone contacts the State Pension claim line, DWP staff identify those with potential eligibility for Pension Credit and take a claim there and then. This means customers don’t have to call both claim lines, getting new pensioners onto Pension Credit as soon as they are eligible.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 26 February 2025.

Over 100,000 people looking for work to benefit from tailored training next year, providing employers with work-ready recruits.

• Coastal towns including Blackpool and Scarborough to benefit as Minister for Employment urges more businesses to sign up to help fill vacancies.
• New research shows Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) can boost earnings by more than £1,400.

Thousands of employers and individuals looking for work will benefit from a new record-breaking number of workplace training schemes, the government will announce today [Wednesday 26 February]. This will mean surpassing the previous target of 80,000 and offering new opportunities in some of the country’s most deprived communities.

Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern will confirm the expansion of the Sector-Based Work Academy Programme (SWAPs) to provide 100,000 more places available over the next financial year, a boost of over a quarter from this year.

Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) offer participants in England and Scotland who are receiving certain benefits the opportunity of training towards a job in a particular industry, alongside a work placement and a guaranteed interview that can kickstart a new career with over 63,000 people joining the SWAPs programme to help them find employment in the last year alone.

This boost for people looking for work through SWAPs is a crucial part of our plan to get Britain working to unlock growth, improve living standards and break down barriers to opportunity as part of our Plan for Change.

The expansion comes as new research shows that in the two years after finishing a SWAP, participants stay in their jobs on average up to three months longer, earn up to £1,400 more, and save the taxpayer over £350 per person compared with those who don’t take part in the programme.

The same research finds that, while all demographics benefit from taking part in a SWAP, the impact is greater for more disadvantaged groups, such as older customers and those with restrictive health issues.

The announcement builds on measures in the government’s Get Britain Working White Paper to overhaul jobcentres, tackle inactivity and improved outcomes for jobseekers. This will boost the nation’s skills and put more money into people’s pockets under the Plan for Change.

Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern MP said:

The evidence is clear – SWAPs boost your earnings and keep you in your job for longer. That is why we are promising to deliver more of them than ever, as we Get Britain Working as part of our Plan for Change.

And alongside our partnership with UKHospitality, more people in more areas of the country will be able to access the training they need to unlock the opportunities on their doorsteps.

Anyone in receipt of unemployment benefits is eligible to take part in a SWAP via their local Jobcentre and any business can work with DWP to develop one. This enables businesses to recruit from a wider range of candidates and provide the necessary skills training tailored to an open vacancy.

As part of this expansion, Minister for Employment Alison McGovern will announce that a hospitality SWAPs pilot, launched in partnership with UKHospitality, will be rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunity, including 13 coastal towns such as Scarborough and Blackpool.

This will ensure jobs are filled in sectors with high vacancies, such as the 88,000 roles available in the hospitality industry as the government drives up opportunity as part of our wider reforms to Get Britain Working.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality said:

UKHospitality’s Sector-Based Work Academy pilot proved to be a brilliant way to provide high quality, entry-level training for both new starters and those looking to get back into work.

I’m delighted that the government is rolling out our pilot to 26 new areas and using it as the model for its exciting plans to deliver at least 100,000 SWAP participants next year.

This announcement gives us the impetus to expand our work across the country, help more people find rewarding jobs in hospitality, boost growth, tackle economic inactivity and continue to develop our Hospitality Skills Passport.

Further information:

• SWAPs are designed to support unemployed benefit claimants on Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, or Employment and Support Allowance, who are aged 16 years and over and who do not need extra support to address a lack of basic employability skills. Participants remain on benefits during their placement.
• The programme runs in England and Scotland. SWAPs are developed by Jobcentres in partnership with employers and training providers. These opportunities are offered in job sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies.
• Employers interested in taking the opportunity to start a SWAP for a role in their business can contact the Employers Service Line here – Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Recruitment advice and support – GOV.UK.
• The SWAP impact assessment, carried out by DWP, focused on UC customers who started a SWAP between April 2021 and March 2022 and compared their employment outcomes to individuals who were eligible to start a SWAP but did not start a placement.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 25 February 2025.

A controversial system that automatically approves landlord requests to deduct tenants’ benefits to pay rent arrears and ongoing rent payments is being re-examined, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced today.

• Work and Pensions Secretary pledges to “right the wrongs” of controversial benefit deduction system.
• Follows decision by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) not to appeal court judgement which found one claimant’s landlord payments were unfair.
• Action is part of wider plans to make the benefits system fairer and protect people from falling into debt.

It comes amid concerns that the system – aimed at helping people avoid issues with their landlords such as eviction – may actually be pushing the poorest into debt.

Currently, a computer program automatically approves landlord requests to deduct up to a fifth of someone’s monthly Universal Credit payments for outstanding rent repayments without them being consulted by either their landlord or DWP.

The department will now look at this process and consider better ways of ensuring landlords get the rent they are owed in a fair and proportionate way while benefit claimants are protected from falling into debt.

It comes as part of wider efforts by the Work and Pensions Secretary to fix the broken welfare system to make it fairer and ensure it improves living standards which will unlock economic growth – a key commitment in the government’s Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, said:

I am determined to right the wrongs that have persisted in the benefits system for too long. The automatic approval of landlords’ requests for tenants’ benefits to be deducted is one of these.

As well as urgently reviewing this system, I am bringing forward major changes to the health and disability benefits system so that it works for everyone, underpinned by the biggest employment reforms in a generation.

We will continue to listen to people’s concerns, and transform our benefits system to one of fairness, not punishment.

This decision comes in response to a high-profile legal challenge in January, which was won by Nathan Roberts whose benefits were deducted and automatically paid to his landlord to cover alleged rent arrears and ongoing rent payments – despite a dispute about repairs to the property.  The Work and Pensions Secretary has confirmed DWP will not appeal this decision.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, said:

The benefits system needs urgent reform and we are taking action across the board to do this – whether that’s tackling the huge accumulation of debt by Carer’s Allowance recipients through no fault of their own, or this automatic deduction of benefits purely at the request of a landlord.

Combined with our efforts to Get Britain Working and our upcoming health and disability benefits reform, all of this will lead to better support for those who need it, and open doors for those who can work.

This comes ahead of a manifesto commitment to deliver a wider review of Universal Credit to ensure it is getting people into work, making work pay and tackling poverty.

In April, the Universal Credit Fair Repayment Rate will also come into force, reducing the cap on how much can be deducted from someone’s benefits from 25% to 15%. This means approximately 1.2 million households will keep more of their Universal Credit payment each month, with households expected to be better off by £420 a year on average.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 11 February 2025.

New scheme comes as part of the government’s drive to help people back into work and kickstart economic growth under its Plan for Change.

• New ‘Jobcentre on wheels’ service launched to drive up employment across Great Britain.
• Any member of the public – as well as DWP customers – can access job support through the mobile Jobcentres being tested in Bolton and parts of Wales.

New mobile Jobcentres are pulling up to football matches and retail parks to deliver vital employment support directly to local communities.

The vans have been visiting family hubs, retail car parks and mosques in regions with particularly high levels of unemployment and inactivity as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) tests new and inclusive ways to help people back into work. This includes a van pitching up at Bolton Wanderers Football Club last weekend to provide job support to fans on match day.

In Bolton alone, nearly 1-in-3 people are currently inactive, with unemployment significantly higher than the national average. This van and others like it are performing a vital service to areas like Bolton, breaking down barriers to opportunity and bringing the expertise and support of the DWP straight into the heart of the communities that need it most.

The mobile Jobcentres are staffed by experienced Work Coaches who offer expert support with job searching, training opportunities and can provide information to those with health conditions or disabilities and accessing childcare costs.

As well as existing customers, the service is open and accessible to all members of the public and forms part of the government’s wider plans to tackle inactivity, support people into jobs and make everyone better off under its Plan for Change.

With the vans in Bolton, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham already proving a success, a van in Scotland will launch later this month and cover Moray and the Highlands.

The Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern, saw the Bolton mobile Jobcentre in action today (Monday 10 February) as members of the local community received advice outside the Great Lever Family Hub, a Start Well Children’s Centre.

Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern, said:

For too long, people have been denied the opportunity of securing a good job and getting on in their career. Under our major employment reforms, we want to see everyone, in every corner of the country, become better off.

This mobile Jobcentre is a perfect example of an inclusive and accessible DWP solution that ensures no one misses out on the job support they deserve. Getting more people back into work is a key part of our Plan for Change to deliver economic growth, create better opportunities and put more money into the pockets of working people.

Sam Ashton, a Work Coach based on the Bolton mobile Jobcentre, added:

The new Bolton mobile Jobcentre hit the road in January and has already pulled up in various locations across the town including at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. We have been supporting customers with a whole host of needs, whether that is with their job search, or accessing childcare costs.

We’re really looking forward to helping even more people in harder to reach areas and make it much easier for them to access our services.

The government is delivering on the biggest reforms to employment support in a generation as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper. Key measures include overhauling Jobcentres, introducing a Youth Guarantee to ensure all people aged 18 to 21 are earning or learning and connecting local work, health and skills plans.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 February 2025.

Many sick and disabled people say they want to work to help boost their living standards – but aren’t given the right support, according to new data published on Time to Talk day today [6 February].

• New survey suggests 200k people claiming health and disability benefits are ready for work now if the right job or support were available.
• Comes as number of young people with a mental health condition who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness reaches over a quarter of a million (270,000).
• Overhaul of health and disability benefit system set to be unveiled in Spring to ensure it provides meaningful support to help long term sick back into work.

New research published by the Department for Work and Pensions shows that nearly half (44%) of people with a mental health condition expect to be able to work in future if their health improves.

This comes as the number of young people (aged 16 to 34) who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness and have a mental condition reaches 270,000. This number has been rising consistently over the past decade and has increased by 60,000 (26%) in the last year alone. The equivalent figure for all people of working-age (16 to 64) is 790,000 – an increase of 140,000 (22%) over the last year.

The Work Aspirations of Health and Disability Claimants survey also finds that a third (32%) of those claiming health and disability benefits believe they can work now or in future.  (5%) say that they would be ready now if the right job or support were available. This equates to around 200,000 individuals.

The survey also finds that those out of jobs overwhelmingly see work as a key part of their identity and a route to higher self-esteem, happiness and security.

In further evidence that the current system pushes people away from work, the survey revealed that 50% of people who are on health and disability benefits and are not currently in work said they were worried they would not get their benefits back if they tried paid employment and it did not work out.

It comes as the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall visits Workbridge charity which offers support to people who are unable to work due to mental ill health, to hear how they’re supporting people with mental health conditions into work.

Responding to the stark survey results, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said the report demonstrates the need to reform the current welfare system, so that it offers better, meaningful support to give disabled people and people with long-term health conditions a real opportunity to find work.

The upcoming reforms will be a key part of the government’s Plan for Change to boost employment by breaking down barriers to opportunity – creating a welfare system that promotes tailored pathways into work and accommodates the complex nature of disabilities and health conditions – and consequently, improving people’s living standards.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP said:

Today’s report shows that the broken benefits system is letting down people with mental health conditions who want to work.

People claiming Health and Disability benefits have been classed by the system as “can’t work” and shut out of jobs and have been ignored – when they’ve been crying out for support.

That is a serious failure. It’s bad for people, bad for businesses, which miss out on considerable talent, and bad for the economy.

For young people in particular, being out of work can have a scarring effect that lasts a lifetime.

On Time to Talk day, it’s time to change how we support people with long-term health conditions, such as a mental health condition, so that they have a fair chance and choice to work.

On her visit to Workbridge, Kendall will speak to experts to hear their insights on how government and employers can better accommodate the fluctuating nature of people’s mental health – ensuring that people’s views and voices are at the heart of changes that affect them.

We know that being in work has a positive effect on people’s mental and physical health – providing people with confidence and independence, as well as financial benefits.

The UK remains the only G7 country that has higher levels of economic inactivity now than before the pandemic, with the benefits bill spiralling – largely driven by the increase in people claiming incapacity benefits for mental health conditions, who had not received the care and treatment they deserve.

The reforms to the health & disability benefit system due to be unveiled in a Green Paper in Spring will consider these issues and how the government can tackle these barriers to employment, and the government will work closely alongside charities, organisations and disabled people to ensure their voices help shape any proposals for reform.

The Green Paper will set key ambitions for creating a system that is fairer on disabled people – offering support into work which takes into consideration the realities of their health condition and life circumstances, and fairness for the taxpayer by bringing down the benefits bill.

The reforms are expected to build on the Get Britain Working White Paper, which set out the first steps to achieving the government’s target 80% employment rate, driving up growth and driving down poverty in every corner of our country.

Successful steps have already been taken to offer work and life-changing support, with a record number of people with mental health conditions receiving employment advice through the NHS Talking Therapies programme.

Alongside this support, the Government has settled record funding for the NHS – so that all people can get the care they need – and have pledged:

• 8,500 more mental health staff
• Mental health support teams in every school
• Open-access mental health hubs in every community

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 18 December 2024.

People with back, joint, and muscle issues living in areas with the worst waiting lists for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are set to be treated quicker and supported back into employment as the Government gets Britain working.

• £3.5million funding boost to be shared by 17 NHS areas to trial innovative ways to treat musculoskeletal conditions (MSK)
• 646,000 people off work with MSK conditions – around 1 in 4 of the record 2.8 million people on long-term sickness benefits
• Funding is part of the Government’s Plan for Change to deliver growth, put more money in people’s pockets, and get the NHS back on its feet

As part of the Government’s drive to tackle economic inactivity – where someone is out of work and not looking for work – 17 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England will share part of a £3.5million package to improve MSK services.

The funding will see each area receive up to £300,000 to treat one of the main drivers of economic inactivity, and is part of the Government’s Plan for Change which will put more money into people’s pockets and get the NHS back on its feet.

The MSK Community Delivery Programme will be administered through NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, and will give ICBs the resources and leadership to develop more efficient ways of getting MSK patients treated, off waiting lists and back onto the path of employment.

Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern MP, said:

For too long people locked out of work with health issues have been forgotten about and denied the support they need to get well and get working.

It’s stifling our economy and preventing those eager to progress in life from unleashing their full potential.

This multi-million-pound funding boost means musculoskeletal patients across the country will get the help they need, as we give clinical leaders the resources to innovate, get people off waiting lists and get Britain working again.

There are 2.8million people economically inactive due to long-term health and MSK is the second largest reason given, behind mental health. Around 646,000 people – around 1 in 4 (23%) – said MSK was their primary condition.

Waiting lists for MSK community services are the highest of all community waits in England, at 348,799 people in September 2024, with approximately 23.4 million working days in the UK being lost due to MSK conditions in 2022 alone.

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne, said:

With prevention, early detection and treatment, we know that the 17 million people with musculoskeletal issues in England could better manage their conditions, improving their quality of life and enabling them to rejoin the workforce.

Through the Plan for Change, the government is taking decisive action to drive down waiting lists, improve treatment options and boost the economy.

Several of the 17 ICB locations spearheading the delivery of this programme also host NHS England’s Further Faster 20 programme and the Government’s recently announced WorkWell programme – meaning people with MSK conditions will benefit from an amalgamated approach of reduced waiting lists combined with intensive and bespoke employment support.

Professor Tim Briggs, NHS England’s National Director of Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery and Chair of the Getting it Right First Time programme, said:

The NHS has a proven record of spearheading improvements through the Getting it Right First Time Programme and this initiative could make a real difference to people with MSK conditions– providing them with the care they need and helping them to return to work.

Local health systems will be able to assess their current services and share examples of best practice to roll out innovative ways of working, as well as improving data on how services are performing.

Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Versus Arthritis, said:

With over 20 million people living with musculoskeletal conditions, including 10 million with arthritis, Versus Arthritis understands the devastating impact these conditions can have on working lives.

Arthritis can cause debilitating pain, joint stiffness and prevent people doing everyday tasks, with work sometimes made to feel an impossible challenge.

MSK Community Services can be an invaluable resource for people with arthritis, and we are delighted to see the launch of this programme in dedicated sites across England, and in the future across the whole country.

The Government announced the launch of the Get Britain Working White Paper in November as part of the biggest reforms to employment support for a generation, bringing together skills and health to get more people into work and get on in work.

Additional Information:

1. The Get Britain Working White Paper was published on Tuesday 26 November: Get Britain Working White Paper – GOV.UK
2. The locations of the 17 ICBs taking part in the programme which also have some of the longest MSK 18 week waits are:

• Birmingham and Solihull ICB
• Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire ICB
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB
• Cheshire (NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB) ICB
• Cornwall ICB
• Devon ICB
• Dorset ICB
• Greater Manchester ICB – Manchester / Oldham
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight
• Leicester Leicestershire & Rutland ICB
• Norfolk and Waveney ICB
• North Central London ICB
• North East and North Cumbria ICB
• North East London ICB
• Northamptonshire ICB
• Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB
• Sussex ICB