Government Statement
I am pleased to present the Work and Pensions Committee’s second report in our employment support for disabled people inquiry series. The report focuses on the Government's Connect to Work programme, which aims to reduce health and disability-related economic inactivity by supporting up to 300,000 people into sustained paid employment over five years. With nearly one in four of the working-age population being disabled (10.4 million), only 5.5 million are employed, resulting in a disability employment gap of nearly 30%. The Committee's economic analysis estimates that if 5% of currently unemployed or inactive people moved into employment, it would generate £20 billion over the life of Parliament. Connect to Work is voluntary and grounded in well-established supported employment models, offering scope for more tailored and responsive support. However, success depends on delivery, which faces risks related to consistency, workforce capacity, integration with health and skills services, funding certainty, and managing transitions between programmes. The Committee calls on the Government to ensure sufficient capacity, coordinate workforce development, address gaps, and provide long-term certainty about the programme’s future. Successful delivery also requires effective triage, clear pathways, strong local partnerships, and better system-wide planning when programmes change.