DWP's new plans to help people with arthritis in the workplace

TheDepartment for Work and Pensions (DWP) has unveiled plans to help disabled people and those with health conditions like arthritis. The moves are designed to help such people who are claiming Universal Credit to find and keep jobs.

Proposed changes to thePersonal Independence Payment (PIP) have been put on hold until the results of a review of the assessment process. That will be jointly carried out by Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms and disability organisations.

This review is set to be completed by next autumn. However, changes to Universal Credit are already under way, reports the Daily Record.

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Employment Minister Alison McGovern detailed these proposals in a written response to Labour MP Terry Jermy (North West Norfolk). He had asked about steps being taken to "integrate health and employment support for people with arthritis and other long-term health conditions".

Ms McGovern said: "Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live."

The DWP minister further added: "Disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis, are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems."

Measures include:

• Access to Work grants
• Support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres
• Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care
• Joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies

Ms McGovern went on to say: "The Department also provides a range of support to help individuals to access, retain, and thrive in employment. This includes referrals to financial assistance, workplace adaptations, and personalised guidance.

"Our teams support customers with Access to Work to ensure customers have reasonable adjustment, specialist equipment, support workers and more to ensure that customers have all the necessary tools to get into and maintain work."

The DWP Minister also highlighted the £240 million investment announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper which launched last November will "drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80 per cent employment rate".

She added: "Our £2.2bn Pathways to Work investment brings our total investment in employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions to £3.8bn over this Parliament.

"We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits."