I am delighted that the Department for Work and Pensions, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, has announced grant funding which will benefit 41 local authorities - including Surrey - in providing support to people with disabilities to re-enter and remain in work.
The new Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) initiative was announced last year as part of the Government’s strategy for addressing increased health-related disability and consequent barriers to employment in the wake of the covid pandemic. The Chancellor built on this work in the Spring Statement 2023, where he acknowledged the positive effect that work has on health and wellbeing. The Budget contained a range of further policies to support improved population health outcomes and increase the employment rate among those with a health condition or disability.
Last year, Government invited local authorities to bid for IPSPC funding from a pot of up to £40 million, and I am thrilled that Surrey has been awarded a grant from the scheme which will be used to help up to 2,800 people by March 2025.
IPSPC is a voluntary programme which takes referrals from health care professionals such as GPs, practice nurses and community health practitioners. It is integrated with an individual’s normal health treatment and provides assistance, typically through coaching, to people out of work and those needing support with their health issues to stay in work.
I have been a strong supporter of individual placement and support services of this type to help people with mental health challenges and disabilities to stay in work. I am therefore pleased to see Government extending the scheme in this way. You can read my questions to Ministers on in the Work and Pensions Select Committee evidence session on this matter here.
I am confident that this funding will help more people facing health challenges to re-enter the workforce, with the consequent benefits this will have for their wellbeing. You can find out more about IPSPC funding and how it is used here.
