The DWP have announced that they are rolling out their Workwell scheme to 250,000 people, but have failed to publish any evidence of how well it is actually working.
The department announced earlier this week that, following a trial starting in October 2024 involving 25,000 working age people with health conditions, the scheme would now be rolled out nationally.
Workwell is a voluntary scheme which offers support to overcome health-related barriers to employment, for people who are employed but struggling or who are not currently employed.
Support includes:
- Physiotherapy for back pain and mobility issues
- Mental health interventions including counselling and psychological support
- Ongoing health condition management.
The DWP was able to give many statistics about the pilot, such as:
- 41% of participants were in work, 59% out of work.
- 28% were referred by their GP, compared to 27% self-referral and 24% from Jobcentre Plus.
- Over two thirds (68%) were aged 35 and over.
The main barriers to work listed by participants were:
- Mental health issues 48%
- Musculoskeletal problems 21%
- Autism 4%
- Heart, blood pressure, blood circulation problems 2%
- Learning difficulties 2%
- Other 22%
Somewhat alarmingly, the report’s definitions section explains that “mental health problems” include “bad nerves” and “manic depression”, neither being terms that are still in common usage amongst health professionals.
What the report utterly fails to provide amongst its many statistics, however, is what the success rate for the scheme is. In particular, how many unemployed, disabled participants entered sustained employment as a result of taking part.
All the DWP will say is that “Data on WorkWell outcomes will be available in due course.”
So, whether the DWP don’t know the outcomes but have decided to roll the scheme out anyway, or do know the outcomes but would really rather not share them, remains unclear.
But for the present, it is definitely worth reminding readers that the Workwell scheme is voluntary and you are free to refuse if invited to take part.
You can read a DWP press release on Workwell and read the WorkWell Pilot Management Information from 1 October 2024 to 30 November 2025
