The government is introducing a Back to Work Plan, which includes investment of over £2.5 billion over the next five years. It will significantly expand available support and transform the way people interact with the benefits system. It has been designed:
- To support those who are long-term unemployed to find work.
- To ensure that those with long-term sickness and/or disabilities are better equipped to manage their conditions and participate in work, if they are able to do so.
As part of the Back to Work Plan, the government will invest over £1.3 billion over the next five years to help tackle long-term unemployment by establishing an end-to-end process that supports and incentivises unemployed Universal Credit claimants to find work. These policies, which include expanding Additional Jobcentre Support and strengthening Restart, build on previously announced changes.
The government will also strengthen the Universal Credit sanctions regime to enforce the government’s expectation that those who can work must engage with the support available or lose their benefits. As a result, no claimant should reach their claimant review point at 18 months of unemployment in receipt of their full benefits if they have not taken every reasonable step to comply with Jobcentre support.