Sammy Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to provide further support for people with mental health problems in returning to work.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department for Work and Pensions lead on support for people with mental health problems in getting back to work. Over the next three years, we are investing over £40 million to develop the evidence base on what works in supporting those with mental health conditions get back to work/return to work through a series of trials

Further support is available through the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service. Last year, Access to Work supported 1630 people who declared a Mental Health condition as their Primary Medical Condition – a 15% increase on 2013/14 and a record number for the programme

Our wider employment programmes provide those with mental health conditions with the appropriate support to find work. Work Choice is an employment programme is specifically for those with a disability or health condition. Up to September 2015, of the 14,290 starters who declared either a Severe or Mild to Moderate Mental Health condition as their Primary Disability, 6,650 (over 46%) have achieved a job outcome.

(BIS) Support is not restricted to employees, as the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is evaluating the impact of short, part-time adult education courses on people with mild to moderate mental health problems.