Issue details

Proposed decision

To agree that KCC can become Accountable Body for the Department for Work & Pensions ‘Connect to Work’ Programme for Kent & Medway and manage its local delivery.

Reason for the decision:

Connect to Work is a new Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) supported employment programme which will provide services to help people with disabilities and long term health conditions and other disadvantaged groups to access and stay in work. The government is asking Local Authorities to manage the programme across the UK and KCC is expected to assume the role of Accountable Body for the Kent & Medway programme which will run from 2025-2030.

Background and context:

The number of people out of work in the UK due to long-term conditions is at the highest level since 2008. In Kent, 27% of economic inactivity among 16-64 year olds is due to long term sickness. As at October 2024, there were 42,500 individuals registered as unemployed  across Kent & Medway. Connect to Work aims to provide in depth support to help some 2,900 people each year in Kent & Medway to access and stay in work.

Local Authorities are considered to be best placed to manage the programme given their connections to local communities and strategic role in the provision of services to local residents and businesses.

KCC would commission a number of service providers to support the delivery of the programme.

Not only will the programme support individuals who are currently economically inactive, but will assist local employers/businesses in addressing skills shortages.

Options:

1.  Agree that, subject to DWP approval of the Kent & Medway Delivery Plan and the subsequent issuing of a Grant Agreement, that KCC can assume the role of Accountable Body for the Connect to Work Programme for Kent & Medway (recommended option). Officers will adhere to newly established KCC grant acceptance and reporting processes.

2.  Not run the Connect to Work Programme in Kent & Medway. This option was discounted as the government is expecting upper tier Local Authorities and Mayoral Combined Authorities to assume accountable body status for the programme in their area. It would also be a missed opportunity to help Kent residents in targeted groups to gain access to work.

How the proposed decision supports Strategic Priorities:

The programme adheres to Securing Kent’s Future’s requirement for full cost recovery.

The programme supports ambitions in the Kent & Medway Economic Framework and Framing Kent’s Future to support people into work, develop the local workforce and ensure that employers have access to people with the right skills.

The programme will be a key element of the implementation of the new Kent & Medway Integrated Strategy for Health & Work.