ST HELENS is set for a major funding boost for the delivery of the Connect to Work programme.
A report on the issue will come before the council’s cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday.
It highlights that the Connect to Work programme is a new national initiative designed to tackle economic inactivity by supporting individuals with health conditions, disabilities, or complex barriers into “sustainable employment”.
And it states that as part of the Liverpool City Region’s delivery of this programme, the council has been invited to deliver the “individual placement and support element” locally.
The cabinet is recommended to note the “indicative” £3,612,160 funding allocation from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for the delivery of the St Helens Connect to Work programme.
Members are also recommended to delegate authority to the executive director of place services, in consultation with the cabinet member for business and inclusive growth, the director of finance/Section 151 officer and the director of legal and governance, to “negotiate and execute grant funding agreements” for the delivery of the programme.
“The Connect to Work programme has strong alignment across the council’s strategic priorities, including inclusive economic growth, improved health and wellbeing, and support for vulnerable residents,” says the report.
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“It builds on the existing capacity and successes of the council’s Ways to Work service, offering a pathway to sustain and enhance local employment support beyond the current UK Shared Prosperity Fund arrangements that conclude in March 2026.
“The new Connect to Work programme is a key plank in the Government’s Get Britain Working Strategy. It is designed to help disabled people, people with health conditions, and those with more complex barriers to work, who are outside the labour market, in “hidden unemployment”, and who wish to be in employment, to find a suitable job and sustain work.
“It will also help those in work but at risk of falling out of the labour market (and who will struggle to get back into work if they lose their job) to retain employment.
“The Connect to Work programme represents a significant opportunity to help St Helens address economic inactivity and support residents with complex barriers to employment.
“The programme aligns closely with the council’s strategic priorities around inclusive growth, health and wellbeing, and community resilience.
“It is proposed to proceed with the necessary negotiations and agreements to secure funding and commence delivery, ensuring that St Helens plays a full and proactive role in the regional implementation of this important national initiative.”
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