Smoothing the path to employment

Removing the barriers

Since 2002 the Pathways to Work scheme has been offering job advice and rehabilitation to help people on incapacity benefit return to employment.  Here we look at how the scheme operates - and focus on three people who have seen their lives turned around...

Pathways to Work brings together Jobcentres, the NHS, GPs and employers to offer a package of support for those on Incapacity Benefit.

New claimants who take part attend a series of interviews with a personal advisor.

They examine what the barriers to achieving them might be and then agree a plan of action. They are then entitled to a £40-a-week return to work credit.

They are also offered NHS rehabilitation to help them learn to manage and cope with their health condition, whether it be back pain, angina or mental illness.

During its trial, Pathways has given hope to thousands of people who thought they would never work again. The Welfare Green Paper proposes to extend the scheme to include more private sector firms.

To coincide with the launch of the Green Paper, John Hutton went to a Tesco store in Derby to see a programme aimed at encouraging people back to work.

Claimants have the chance to get a week's taste of work at the supermarket and guaranteed interviews for permanent jobs.

Here are two more examples of how Pathways to Work has helped.

Promis Christodoulou from Cambridgeshire

• On incapacity benefits for a year and a half because of depression
• Received help from job broker, Disability Employment Adviser and Personal Advisor
• Now self employed in car repairs - has his own van and took over a garage last year where he employs one person
• He said: "The support and assistance I have received has been superb"

Edwina Grady and Audrey Guest from County Durham

• On benefits - Edwina for severe back pain; Audrey for severe pain in her shoulder
• Wanted to open a business selling their own cakes
• Helped by Broker North East after being referred via Pathways to Work for help with business advice
• Looking back on their first day of business Edwina said: "It was surreal and very emotional, we never thought that day would come"