The Government’s new Connect to Work employment programme will launch in Sheffield in August 2025, increasing the support available to out-of-work and in-work residents facing challenges in the labour market.
Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, and devolved to the regions, Connect to Work will help disabled people, those with health conditions and people with other complex barriers to employment, to find sustainable work.
The five-year programme, which will adhere to ‘place, train and maintain’ principles, will consolidate DWP work and health activity previously delivered through three individual programmes:
- Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) – i.e. Working Win
- Work and Health Programme
- Local Supported Employment
Support will be offered via the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) – high-fidelity model, for participants with the most complex needs (predominantly Autism, Learning Difficulty & Disability, and Neurodiversity) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) for other eligible groups.
In South Yorkshire, the programme will be managed by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) as the Accountable Body, with the four Local Authorities (including Sheffield City Council) acting as Delivery Area Members.
Delivery in 2025-26
Connect to Work will see a phased launch in Sheffield.
SEQF supported employment services will be available for higher-needs participants from Friday 1 August 2025, with Opportunity Sheffield job coaches accepting referrals to support individuals with Autism, Learning Difficulty & Disability, and/or Neurodiversity.
This service is anticipated to be scaled up with external commissioning from 2026-27.
A regional IPS commission, currently being undertaken by SYMCA, will see a new health-focused IPS programme launch in September as a replacement for Working Win.
IPS services for other eligible groups, as detailed below, will commence in Sheffield in April 2027. Opportunity Sheffield anticipates commissioning providers to deliver targeted IPS services later this year.
Eligible groups for Connect to Work
Eligible participants must be a disabled person, or belong to one of the specified disadvantaged groups:
- have a disability as defined in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 or the Social Model of Disability.
- meet the definition of one of the specified disadvantaged groups with additional multiple and complex barriers that would benefit from support:
- an offender or ex-offender
- a carer
- an ex-carer
- a homeless person
- Armed Forces Veterans, or current or former partners of Armed Forces Veterans
- People with a history of substance misuse
- care experienced young person or a care leaver
- a refugee, a resettled Afghan
- a person on the Ukrainian scheme
- a victim/survivor of domestic abuse
- young people identified as being involved or at risk of being involved in serious violence
- a victim of modern slavery
Referrals and self-referrals for this service are being invited by email to: opportunity@sheffield.gov.uk
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