Soc&Env: Work and worklessness: Services for supporting people with health conditions to find and stay in employment

Fit for Work is a new national service that provides a free assessment and return to work support for people at risk of long-term sickness absence.^A It is intended to complement existing occupational health services and/or fill gaps in workplace services. Employees can be referred by their GP or employer if they have been off work for four weeks or more.

There are three Job Centre Plus locations in Hackney (Dalston, Hackney and Hoxton) which provide support to all people of working age to help them into paid work. This section does not describe in detail the full range of support available locally to help Hackney residents to find and stay in employment. Box 9 provides a snapshot of a selection of current support (at time of writing) available for those who face particular barriers to employment, due to their health or related issues.

As in Hackney, there is a range of support to help local people in the City of London to find and stay in work. Access to Job Centre Plus services is available in neighbouring local authority areas.

Box 9: Snapshot of a selection of local services and support available in Hackney

Hackney Ways into Work programme – run by the Council to generate employment opportunities within the borough, targeting in particular those residents with the greatest barriers to work.
Job Centre Plus disability employment advisors – provide assistance and advice on finding a job to people with a health condition or disability that affects their ability to work. A range of other providers also work with Job Centre Plus to support people to find work, including Remploy who deliver the national Work Choice programme (as described in Box 6).
Lee House – an employment and rehabilitation centre which provides a structured, supportive environment with focused education and employment pathways for its members, to progress from supported mental health services into mainstream opportunities.
MIND in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest offers a range of wellbeing activities and therapies to reduce social isolation through education and support in to the workplace, including an Employment Support and Retention Service.

Hackney One Team – a supported employment agency specialising in placing people age 16+ with learning disabilities and people with substance misuse problems into paid employment.

Notes

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fit-for-work-guidance

Fit for Work is a new national service that provides a free assessment and return to work support for people at risk of long-term sickness absence.^B It is intended to complement existing occupational health services and/or fill gaps in workplace services. Employees can be referred by their GP or employer if they have been off work for four weeks or more.

As in Hackney, there is a range of support to help local people in the City of London to find and stay in work. Access to Job Centre Plus services is available in neighbouring local authority areas.

Box 9: Snapshot of a selection of local services and support available in Hackney

Hackney Ways into Work programme – run by the Council to generate employment opportunities within the borough, targeting in particular those residents with the greatest barriers to work.
Job Centre Plus disability employment advisors – provide assistance and advice on finding a job to people with a health condition or disability that affects their ability to work. A range of other providers also work with Job Centre Plus to support people to find work, including Remploy who deliver the national Work Choice programme (as described in Box 6).
Lee House – an employment and rehabilitation centre which provides a structured, supportive environment with focused education and employment pathways for its members, to progress from supported mental health services into mainstream opportunities.
MIND in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest offers a range of wellbeing activities and therapies to reduce social isolation through education and support in to the workplace, including an Employment Support and Retention Service.

Hackney One Team – a supported employment agency specialising in placing people age 16+ with learning disabilities and people with substance misuse problems into paid employment.