Equal-Works

Background

Employment levels have risen steadily, approaching three-quarters of working-age people in recent years. Yet, with just over 70 per cent of working age people in jobs, the employment rate in many urban areas is up to 15% behind the Scottish and British rates. The reason is in part the high levels on Incapacity Benefit compared to those registered unemployed, accounting for around 7% of the workforce, and at least double this rate among some urban areas. At least one in three people on Incapacity Benefit (IB) say they would like a job, but many are fearful of doing anything that will put their benefits at risk. Expectations of working are exceptionally low, reflecting the experience of claimants across the UK.

The UK government is seeking to address this problem through initiatives such as Pathways to Work and Welfare Benefit reform. However, local services with a clear understanding of the local labour market need to form part of the solution to any labour market problem. The weight of evidence to date suggests that this group requires a joined-up and individual intervention. It is important therefore to investigate alternatives to national initiatives that address all of the barriers that this group face, responding from a unique local knowledge.

Aim

Equal Access aimed to facilitate access to the labour market for disadvantaged and disengaged groups, and in particular those experiencing ill-health as a barrier to work. The partnership is specifically seeking to remedy the widely accepted problem that there is still failure to implement integrated, people-centred services.

Objectives

• integration of services (in particular health and employability services)
• the role of the case manager (to operationalise service integration)
• service user involvement (in employability services).

Target groups

• Long-term claimants on incapacity benefits
• Unemployed people with multiple barriers to work, including ill health