Today, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, we are announcing England-wide expansion of the WorkWell service from autumn 2026 backed by up to £259 million of investment over three years. We have seen great success with the 15 current WorkWell pilots, which provide integrated employment and health support for local working-age people, helping them to get into and on in work. It is a voluntary service which saw over 25,000 disabled people and people with health conditions receive support to stay in and re-enter the workplace, within the first 14 months of launch.
Key to helping local working age people get the support they need to stay in work or return quickly following a period of absence is ensuring local services are joined up to provide an integrated, holistic approach to health and work support. WorkWell is innovative because although funded by central Government it is designed and delivered by our local health systems, who work in partnership with local government, jobcentres, and community and voluntary groups. This allows us to intervene early at the point an individual feels their health condition or disability will have an impact on the work they do or make it more difficult for them to return to work quickly.
Good quality work is a key determinant of health, and that is why keeping people in work is a core priority for the Government. We know that 2.8 million working-age people are now economically inactive due to health conditions, with 800,000 more people out of work due to health problems now than in 2019. There are more people currently in work with work-limiting health conditions or disabilities than ever before, with almost one in four of the working-age population classed as disabled. The £259 million expansion of WorkWell that we are announcing today forms a key part of our wider Pathways to Work offer for working-age disabled people and those with health conditions.
Helping people along their unique pathway to work is what we mean when we say we want an opportunity welfare state. This is why I am pleased to share that, alongside our existing pilot sites, WorkWell will be available to support our working-age population across all of England from autumn 2026.
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