Connect to Work
Launched in April 2025, Connect to Work is aimed at helping disabled people and those with health conditions and additional support needs into work. It will support 100,000 people across the country, 10,800 of which will be in West London, over a period of 5 years.
Through Connect to Work, those who are currently out of work, struggling to retain sustainable work, or at risk of leaving work will get support through:
- Matching people with job opportunities that suit their needs and circumstances,
- Providing essential skills training to help people get into and on at work,
- Working with employers to recruit and retain disabled workers.
The West London Alliance Partnership covers Ealing, Barnet, Harrow, Hillingdon, Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Hounslow Local Authorities. The Connect to Work service will be delivered by Shaw Trust.
You can read the press release here.
To find out more please visit: https://shawtrust.org.uk/connect-to-work/
To speak with one of the Connect to Work team or refer to this programme, call: 0808 196 2386 or email: worksupportwestlondon@shaw-trust.org.uk
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WorkWell
Launched in October 2024 and now extended until 2027,, WorkWell is a programme designed to join up employment and health support. It is a voluntary programme that will focus on early interventions, offering participants an expert assessment of their health and work related barriers. WorkWell will also provide advice and support to employers, triage, signposting and referrals to clinical and non-clinical support.
Through WorkWell, disabled people and people with health conditions across England will have the opportunity to access:
- An early-intervention work and health assessment service, with low-intensity holistic support for their health-related barriers to employment (such as employer liaison and work and health coaching)
- A single gateway into the services that are available locally to tackle their specific needs, e.g. healthcare professionals, community sector services, health promotion programmes, more intensive employment support, and much more.
The programme will offer low-intensity health and work interventions for people in work who are struggling due to a health condition or disability, those at risk of falling out of work, or those recently (6 months or less) unemployed and facing a barrier to return to work due to a health condition or disability. In West London, the programme has £3.8 million and 4000 places to deliver services in: Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Westminster and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
To find out more please visit: WorkWell – Shaw Trust Main
To speak with one of the WorkWell team, please email: workwellwest@shaw-trust.org.uk or call 0808 196 2386.
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MSK Trailblazer
MSK Trailblazer is an intensive six-month employment support programme delivered by Shaw Trust on behalf of West London Alliance, and is designed to empower individuals living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions across West London.
It is 1 of 8 Government- backed trailblazers under the “Get Britain Working White Paper” with £9.1m invested to support economically inactive people living with MSK conditions to gain employment.
This innovative initiative brings together health and employment services to deliver truly holistic support, helping participants move closer to the job market or into sustainable employment that accommodates their health needs.
Each participant benefits from tailored guidance provided by a dedicated Health and Employment Specialist, alongside expert input from a physiotherapist. Together, they work to ensure that employment goals align with physical wellbeing—maximising outcomes and promoting long-term success
The West London Alliance in partnership with NWL ICS covers Ealing, Barnet, Harrow, Hillingdon, Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, RBKC, and Westminster Local Authorities, and have now welcomed Camden, Haringey and Islington as new partner boroughs. With the programme extension into 2026/27, there will be approximately 1,200 more spaces to support local people into work in addition to the original 1,200 spaces allocated.
The service will be delivered by Shaw Trust.
To find out or request support, please visit: MSK Trailblazer – Employment support in West London Shaw Trust
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Work and Health Programme
Launched in February 2018, the WLA Work and Health Programme (WHP) started as a 27m project that was designed to support 13,000 unemployed West London residents overcome barriers to employment and gain sustainable, well-paid work.
The programme provides specialised employment support, primarily for people with disabilities and those requiring early access. This covers a range of people, including: a person affected by a benefit cap, someone homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, a member of a family where a child is looked after, a working age adult with a mental health condition known to secondary care services, a working age adult with disabilities known to Adult Services, an offender or ex-offender, a former member of HM Armed Forces, a partner of current or former Armed Forces personnel, care leavers, a young person in a gang, a person with a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010, a carer or an ex-carer, a member of HM Armed Forces reserves, refugees, victims of domestic abuse, or a person for whom a drug or alcohol dependency (including a history of) presents a significant barrier to employment, Afghan Resettlers, Ukrainian Evacuees 2022 the Programme has received 8.6m in addition to the original 27m to support 3995 more West London residents.
This programme is no longer taking referrals.
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Work and Health Programme Pioneer Support
Launched in September 2023 Pioneer Support represents the first phase of the Universal Support Programme. It is a 2.2m programme designed to support 1307 inactive West London residents gain employment.
Pioneer Support will place participants into work at the earliest opportunity after an initial work assessment, and then provide them with wraparound in-work support from a personal adviser.
The programme provides specialised employment support, primarily for people with disabilities and those requiring early access. This covers a range of people, including: a person affected by a benefit cap, someone homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, a member of a family where a child is looked after, a working age adult with a mental health condition known to secondary care services, a working age adult with disabilities known to Adult Services, an offender or ex-offender, a former member of HM Armed Forces, a partner of current or former Armed Forces personnel, care leavers, a young person in a gang, a person with a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010, a carer or an ex-carer, a member of HM Armed Forces reserves, refugees, victims of domestic abuse, or a person for whom a drug or alcohol dependency (including a history of) presents a significant barrier to employment, Afghan Resettlers, Ukrainian Evacuees.
This programme is no longer taking referrals.
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Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC)
Launched in May 2023 IPSPC is a 5.2m programme designed to offer employment support to 2402 West London residents who are sick and unemployed or who are off sick from work.
It aims to support people with mild and moderate mental or physical health conditions. Participants are referred to the service by healthcare professionals such as GPs and practice nurses, employers and employment support and advice are integrated with their normal health treatment.
This programme is no longer taking referrals.
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Programme Aims
Support
Residents
To support over 13,000 West London residents to overcome their barriers to employment and find sustainable work
Sustainable
LLW
To offer sustainable London Living Wage (LLW) opportunities
Integrate
Public Services
To integrate public services to provide more effective joined-up support for residents
Pre-employment
Offer
To provide an outstanding pre-employment offer to West London residents, setting them up for a lifetime of meaningful employment
IPS into Work – Individual Support Placement for people affected by drug and alcohol issues
This service provides high quality intensive employment support for people who want to get back into work as soon as possible. I has been thoroughly evaluated and it works well for people with substance misuse issues – IPS into Work Impact Report.
It is delivered by VIA, a leading charity providing drug and alcohol treatment, and recovery services. They work very closely with the addiction treatment services in each of the West London boroughs. The service is open to people living in Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster who have drug and alcohol issues.
You can read an article about the IPS into Work here.
To find out more visit We are Via – via (viaorg.uk) or to talk to one of the IPS specialists, please contact: ipsintowork@wdp.org.uk
From Homelessness to financial independence: a WHP success story
Aftab and Nusrat Gill are husband and wife and were both referred to West London Alliance WHP by Uxbridge JCP (Job Centre Plus) in March 2019. Being temporarily homeless and having to adjust to the loss of a family business, their lives became unbearable. Aftab felt that he was not able to provide for his family and he was giving himself a hard time. He also felt that his career had ended and that he would not be able to find employment again.
The Initial Assessment completed by his Support Manager showed that Aftab and Nusrat had multiple obstacles to overcome: homelessness, depression and anxiety at being unemployed: there were all barriers that affected them on a day-to-day basis. The Support Manager knew she had to help fast. In the first instance she issued them food bank vouchers to use at the local church. Having someone there to support and guide him gave Aftab confidence that he was not alone and that he would be able to find work again.
The Support Manager sourced a part-time cleaning job through a regular employee for Nusrat. Nusrat was happy to apply but very nervous about the interview. The Support Manager organised interview preparation and when Nusrat was ready, put her forward. Nusrat was successful and started working within one month of being on the WLA’s WHP.
The Support Manager continued looking for Aftab who had 15 years’ experience working at Heathrow Airport as a baggage handler, which he had to leave due to poor health. They worked closely together to identify his skills and strengths and he was referred to Community Links, a local provider to complete a 5 days security course. Aftab failed the exam twice and felt very disheartened. The Support Manager helped him through, module by module until she felt sure he was ready to take the test again. This time he passed and was found a job as a Security Officer at Heathrow Airport.
Aftab and Nusrat went from being homeless and unemployed to being housed in a two-bedroom house and both being employed. Their relationship has also improved now that they have somewhere to live and jobs. The work continues: Nusrat is continuing to work with her Support Manager to increase her hours to full time.
Through the WLA’s WHP, this family is now able to enjoy life again, and to achieve their goal of being financially independent.
Achievements in numbers
13,000
people
forecast to benefit from the work & health programme
900
people
forecast to benefit from the Individual Placement and Support mental health trailblazer
1,700
people
forecast to benefit from the drug & alcohol project
Governance
This programme reports to the West London Alliance Employment and Health Integration Board, chaired by Ealing’s CEO Paul Najsarek.
Work and Health Team:
Programme partners
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