9 out of 10 of Work and Health Programme (WHP) participants (88%) have not obtained a ‘job outcome’.
A ‘job outcome’ is work with earning above a threshold of 16 hours per week for 26 weeks at the National Living Wage, London Living Wage or Real Living Wage) or having completed six months in self-employment.
The WHP replaced the mainstream Work Programme and the specialist Work Choice scheme for disabled people, but with a significant cut in its funding.
It launched in England and Wales between November 2017and April 2018. Its participants are predominantly disabled people, as well as the long-term unemployed, and certain priority groups (early access groups) to enter into and stay in work.
The ‘Disability group’ is voluntary for disabled people as defined in the Equality Act 2010.This is the main group that the WHP is aimed at.
The ‘Long-term unemployed’ group is mandatory and is for Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit claimants who have reached 24 months of unemployment.
The ‘Early Access group ‘is voluntary and aimed at people who may need additional support to move into employment and are in one of a number of ‘priority groups’ - including for example homeless people, carers, care leavers and refugees.
New DWP figures covering the period from the launch of the WHP in England and Wales between November 2017 and April 2018 up to February 2019 were issued yesterday.
Despite the WHP being targeted at people who with specialist support are likely to be able to find work within 12 months 88% of participants who had started up to August 2018 did not achieve a job outcome.
The DWP figures also show that:
- 78% of WHP starters are disabled people;
- 13 per cent were long-term unemployed; and
- 9% were from early access groups.
For more information see Work and Health Programme statistics to February 2019 @ www.gov.uk