Connect 2 Work

Connect to Work (C2W) The Government's Get Britain Working white paper (November 2024) sets out its ambitions to reduce economic inactivity and achieve an 80% employment rate. Connect to Work (C2W) is a funded programme resulting from the white paper. It aims to support disabled people, those with long-term health conditions and people in disadvantaged groups, with multiple and complex barriers, to move into and sustain employment. Currently, it is estimated that there are about 3million economically inactive people in the UK, 1.9million of whom would like to work, but require support to do so. In Somerset there are 56,700 (Nomis, Sept 2023 - Oct 2024) economically inactive people of working age (16-64), with around 16,900 of these individuals being inactive due to long-term health issues and/or disabilities. C2W aims to break down barriers and provide sustainable employment outcomes for individuals with complex needs, which will help transform their lives but will also contribute to the growth and productivity of our local economy. C2W will connect local work, health and skills support to help eligible participants to secure sustainable work through intensive supported employment models, adhering to either the Individual Placement & Support (IPS) or Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF). Through this, C2W will expand the use of the proven five stage Supported Employment fidelity model of 'place, train and maintain'. Somerset Council, as the lead authority, will manage the delivery of C2W in Somerset including procuring and managing delivery partner(s) to provide high-quality support, based on the fidelity model, to participants and employers. The Authority intends to award a core contract to one or more core providers to deliver against each, or both, models across all eligible participants across Somerset. The Authority also intends to secure provision that targets individual cohorts and/or specific geographies based on evidence of need. Delivery partners will be expected to work with community provision across Somerset and be agile to meet evolving demand and need. The Authority expects to publish a Tender Notice during the autumn 2025, to deliver this programme in partnership with one or more delivery partner(s) who are able to demonstrate ability to provide the required support, to expected quality standards, and meet set targets for supporting economically inactive adults into, and sustain, paid employment. C2W will launch, in Somerset in 2026 and will run through to the end of delivery in 2030. Somerset Council will be working towards a peak delivery target of 700 individuals per year in 2027- 2029. The Authority estimates that contract values will range between £500k and £3m for the term, though this value may be amended subject to any additional funding availability.