PRESS RELEASE : Back to Work Plan will help drive economic growth in every region [July 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 11 July 2024.

On a visit to Leeds Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will today (Thursday 11 July) confirm the Government’s commitments to its manifesto Back to Work Plan, and say tackling economic inactivity is central to the Government’s number one mission of growing the economy.

• New Work and Pensions Secretary today sets out how the Government’s Back to Work Plan is critical to growing the economy
• On a visit to Leeds with Ministerial team, Liz Kendall identifies tackling economic inactivity as top priority, saying Mayors and local areas will be in the driving seat of change
• Visit follows Chancellor’s speech earlier this week setting out immediate action to fix the foundations of the economy, rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off

The visit comes days after the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, unveiled the Government’s first steps to securing sustained economic growth as the only route to improving the prosperity of the country and the living standards of working people.

Ms Kendall said rising levels of economic inactivity are unacceptable and that immediate action must be taken. 9.4 million people are now economically inactive, a record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness, and 900,000 young people (1 in 8) are not in education, employment, and training.

On her first visit as Secretary of State, with the rest of the Ministerial team, Liz Kendall MP will confirm the three pillars of the Government’s Back to Work Plan:

• A new national jobs and career service to help get more people into work, and on in their work.
• New work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, led by Mayors and local areas.
• A youth guarantee for all young people aged 18 to 21.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP, said:

Growth is our number one mission and, as the Chancellor said, our Back to Work Plan is central to achieving our plans.

Economic inactivity is holding Britain back – it’s bad for people, it’s bad for businesses, and it’s bad for growth.

It’s not good enough that the UK is the only G7 country with employment not back to pre-pandemic levels.

It is time for change in every corner of the country.

We’ll create more good jobs, make work pay, transform skills, and overhaul jobcentres, alongside action to tackle the root causes of worklessness including poor physical and mental health.

Change delivered by local areas for local people, driving growth and delivering opportunity and prosperity to everyone, wherever they live.

Earlier this week the Health Secretary set out how cutting NHS waiting lists will get Britain back to health and back to work, and how by taking bold action on public health we can build the healthy society needed for a healthy economy.

Under the DWP’s plan, Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service will be merged to get more people into work and to support those seeking better opportunities with the means to find better paid work.

The Youth Guarantee will mean more opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for all young people aged 18-21 years old, to prevent young people becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age.

More disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve.

On their visit to Leeds today the DWP’s new ministerial team will visit a jobcentre to see first-hand how they’re supporting people with health conditions, and those aged 18 to 24 and over 50.

They will then be joined by Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire Mayor. They will visit Smart Works – a charity who work to build the confidence of clients and help prepare for interviews by providing free clothing ahead of interviews.