Autumn Statement

The Back to Work Plan
Supporting the long-term unemployed into work
5.15 Restart scheme – The government is expanding its programme of
employment support for the long-term unemployed for two years from 2024
across England and Wales. Those who have been on Intensive Work Search for 6
months will now be eligible, as opposed to the previous requirement of 9 months.
In addition, work coaches will track the activity of participants to ensure they
comply with requirements of the Restart programme.
5.16 Post-Restart Claimant review point – From late 2024, Universal Credit
claimants in England and Wales who have completed Restart and remain
unemployed after 18 months will undergo a review conducted by a work coach.
Claimants who do not agree to revised claimant commitments without a good
reason, which could include attending a mandatory work placement or new
intensive work search activities, will have their claim closed.
5.17 Post-Restart employment schemes, including Mandatory Work
Placements – From late 2024, the government will begin rolling out new schemes
to support Universal Credit claimants in England and Wales, who have completed
Restart and remain unemployed after 18 months. Following the post-Restart
claimant review point, claimants will be mandated to attend a time-limited work
placement or undertake other intensive work activity.
5.18 Additional Jobcentre Support – The government is expanding Additional
Jobcentre Support currently live in 90 Jobcentres in England and Scotland to trial
intensive support for people who have been receiving Universal Credit for 7 weeks,
in addition to the support after 13 and 26 weeks announced at Spring Budget 2023.
5.19 Strengthening the application of Universal Credit sanctions – The
government is investing in digital tools that will allow work coaches to track
claimant attendance at job fairs and interviews organised by a Jobcentre Plus in
Great Britain.
5.20 Closing claims for disengaged UC claimants on open-ended sanction
for over 6 months – The government will take steps to close the claims of
sanctioned Universal Credit claimants in Great Britain who have not engaged with
Jobcentre support for over 6 months and are solely eligible for the Universal Credit
standard allowance.
5.21 Investigating sanctioned claimants through the Targeted Case Review
– The government will use its Targeted Case Review process to investigate
sanctioned Universal Credit claimants in Great Britain who have not engaged
with Jobcentre support for over eight weeks who are still receiving some Universal
Credit payments, ensuring they receive the right entitlement.

Supporting the long-term sick and disabled into work
5.22 Individual Placement and Support expansion – The government will expand
access to Individual Placement and Support (IPS) for severe mental illness, an
employment support service within community mental health teams in England,
to reach an additional 100,000 people over the next 5 years.
5.23 NHS Talking Therapies expansion – The government will expand access to
NHS Talking Therapies in England, the flagship NHS programme for treating mild
and moderate mental health conditions, to reach an additional 384,000 people
over the next 5 years, and increase the number of sessions available to those that
use the service.
5.24 Universal Support expansion – Universal Support is a supported employment
programme in England and Wales for people with a disability or health condition.
The government will double the number of yearly places on Universal Support to
100,000.
5.25 Occupational Health – The government will establish an expert group to
develop a voluntary minimum framework which will set out the minimum level
of Occupational Health intervention that employers could adopt to help improve
employee health at work.
5.26 Work Capability Assessment (WCA) gateway reform – The government
is reforming the activities and descriptors in the Work Capability Assessment for
new claimants in Great Britain, to support more people into employment, with
implementation occurring from 2025.
5.27 Fit note reform – The government will explore end-to-end reforms of the
fit note process to support more people to resume work after a period of illness.
Trailblazer trials, in a small number of areas in England, will test changes to make
referrals to health and employment services easier and improve digital access for
patients. They will include trigger points for referrals for people who have received
a fit note for a prolonged period of time and new designs of the fit note form.
The government will launch a consultation in 2024 on wider reforms, to examine
providing individuals whose health affects their ability to work, with easy and rapid
access through the fit note process to specialised support for a return to work.