A £10 million employment support programme has launched in York and North Yorkshire. The programme is focused on helping individuals with long-term health conditions either re-enter or remain in the workforce. Backed by the central government as part of the Get Britain Working Inactivity Trailblazer initiative, the scheme positions the region as one of eight areas trialling new approaches to tackling economic inactivity.
Over the next year, the programme will assist 1,500 job seekers with health-related barriers, 500 individuals currently employed but needing extra support, and 150 local employers. The initiative responds to a 72% rise in health-related economic inactivity in the region since 2019, well above national trends.
The pilot will offer tailored employment interventions and test innovative delivery methods, including a Work, Health and Skills Interchange hub and a dedicated online platform. Community grants will also be issued to organisations developing grassroots employment solutions.
Better Connect, a not-for-profit based in Knaresborough, is leading delivery. The first to go live is Better Connect’s Rise2Thrive service. The programme will prioritise underserved groups, including 16–24-year-olds, over-50s, and people in rural and coastal areas.
Referrals will be channelled through local health and wellbeing hubs to embed employment support into existing community infrastructure. Outcomes from the pilot are expected to inform future UK-wide employment policy.
