Here is an informative, paragraph-wise summary of the announcement, excluding all personal statements and bullet points:
The UK government has announced a £100 million funding boost through the Department for Work and Pensions to support thousands of disabled individuals and those with complex health conditions in securing stable, well-paid employment. This initiative is part of the broader “Get Britain Working” plan aimed at transforming Jobcentres, enhancing technology use, and promoting job creation across the country.
The £103.6 million package will fund the Connect to Work programme in Kent & Medway, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, and Greater Lancashire. The programme aims to assist nearly 30,000 individuals currently unemployed due to health or disability-related challenges. The government has identified economic inactivity caused by ill health—affecting 2.8 million people—as a major issue and is launching several targeted initiatives to tackle this problem and stimulate economic growth.
Connect to Work is part of a wider £3.8 billion investment in employment support for sick and disabled people during this parliamentary term. The programme is already active across England and Wales, backed by more than £150 million in previous funding to support 41,000 people. Over the next five years, the programme is expected to assist more than 300,000 individuals.
The funding will provide comprehensive support services, including individualized coaching from employment specialists, career profiling and goal setting, job matching, early employment support for both participants and employers, and ongoing practical assistance. This complements other employment assistance available through Jobcentres.
In Greater Lancashire, up to £38.8 million has been allocated to help 11,000 participants, while West London Alliance will receive up to £42.8 million to support 10,800 people. East Sussex has been granted up to £11.1 million for the benefit of 2,900 individuals.
In addition, 15 UK regions will benefit from a share of a separate £1.5 million under the WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund pilot. This initiative aims to better integrate healthcare and employment services by supporting individuals with health conditions back into work without relying solely on medical fit notes, while also reducing the burden on general practitioners.
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