Over the last year, the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been rolling out the new Connect to Work programme, a cornerstone of its Get Britain Working strategy. The programme offers intensive, voluntary employment support for disabled individuals, people with long-term health conditions, and those facing complex barriers to employment.

Administered by local authorities, Connect to Work deploys an evidence-based model based on two critical components of support to promote sustained, meaningful work.

As Palladium’s Becky Brocklehurst explains, the first component, Individual Placement and Support (IPS), focuses on helping people with complex needs to find competitive employment quickly, using a “place, train, maintain” approach. This approach supports people into employment quickly, then providing tailored, in‑work training and ongoing support to help them settle, sustain, and progress in their role.

“The second component, Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF), is a structured, evidence‑based framework that sets standards for delivering personalised supported employment, helping people with disabilities or complex barriers to secure, sustain, and progress in paid work in the open labour market.”

“Connect to Work brings an opportunity to deliver IPS and SQF evidenced based models at scale to really reach those that are looking for that additional support into work” she adds.

Running from 2025–2030, Connect to Work’s goal is to support around 100,000 people annually across England and Wales. By the end of its five-year delivery window, more than 300,000 individuals could benefit. Participant support encompasses job-matching, employer engagement, in-work retention, mental-health guidance, and personalised case management.

In the UK, there are about 1.9 million people who are able and willing to work but are not participating in the labour market. It’s a massive, untapped resource for the UK economy and supporting these people at the local level will not only ensure sustainable work but boost local economies.

“Connect to Work combines peer-reviewed and proven employment support models with local support, commissioned by accountable bodies that are closest to the needs in their communities,” she explains.

Palladium Wins Major Connect to Work Contracts Across Southeast England

Building on its success delivering high performing, high quality employability programmes in South East England, Palladium has recently secured five Connect to Work contracts and will deliver the programme in partnership with local organisations with an extensive track record of effectively supporting local residents.

“We’re currently focusing on mobilising contracts and engaging with those community organisations and venues to bring the contract directly to residents,” adds Brocklehurst who notes that the programmes will be launching from January of 2026.