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A Review of Health‐related Support Provision within the UK W ork P rogramme – What's on the Menu?
Author(s) -
CeoltaSmith Jenny,
Salway Sarah,
Tod Angela Mary
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
social policy and administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1467-9515
pISSN - 0144-5596
DOI - 10.1111/spol.12122
Subject(s) - work (physics) , welfare , unemployment , public relations , set (abstract data type) , psychological intervention , political science , business , public economics , economic growth , medicine , nursing , economics , law , engineering , computer science , mechanical engineering , programming language
In common with other E uropean welfare states, a large proportion of those who are out of work and claiming welfare benefits in the UK have long‐term health conditions. The need to reduce the number of people who are claiming sickness related unemployment benefits by supporting them into paid work has been highlighted as a priority across the political spectrum since the late 1990s. However, recent years have seen a significant shift in UK welfare‐to‐work policy, with the introduction of the W ork P rogramme in 2011. This unified programme diverges from earlier approaches in several important respects. The shift includes a move towards so‐called ‘black box’ commissioning, through which contracted organizations are given far greater freedom to design and deliver their interventions. Therefore, important questions arise regarding whether and how support for claimants with health conditions will be provided across W ork P rogramme areas and the implications for claimant outcomes. This article begins to address these questions by reviewing W ork P rogramme P rime C ontractors' ( P rimes) proposed approaches as set out in their bids. Using a structured, interpretive analytical framework, bid documents prepared by the 18 P rimes were reviewed and synthesized. The findings showed that individuals facing similar health‐related obstacles to employment can expect to receive very different levels and types of support depending on which P rimes' programme they are assigned to join. This review suggests that policy needs to ensure that claimants' health‐related barriers to employment are addressed. Research to explore how claimants' health‐related needs are being met in practice is also recommended.