One issue that comes up regularly when speaking to residents across North West Cambridgeshire is how difficult it can be to return to work after a period of ill health, disability, or other major life challenges.
Many people want to work and contribute, but the barriers they face can be significant. Navigating the job market while managing a health condition isn’t easy. Too often, the support available has felt fragmented or difficult to access, leaving people feeling stuck between the health system, benefits system, and employment services.
That’s why the Labour Government’s new Connect to Work programme is such an important step forward.
The scheme is designed to provide tailored, one-to-one support for people who are currently out of work due to illness, disability or other complex barriers. Rather than expecting people to navigate a complicated system alone, Connect to Work will offer personalised help from employment specialists who can support individuals every step of the way – from identifying suitable opportunities to helping them stay in work once they secure a position.
Crucially, this support will be delivered locally, in familiar community settings rather than through a distant or overly bureaucratic process. That could mean meeting advisers in community hubs, local organisations, or other places where people already feel comfortable. It’s a simple but important shift towards a more human, personalised approach.
Across England and Wales, the programme is expected to support around 300,000 people over the next five years. Here in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, £14.3 million of funding will help around 3,700 people access tailored employment support through the scheme.
This matters because the scale of the challenge is significant. Nationally, around 2.8 million people are currently out of work due to long-term ill health, and many say they want to return to employment if the right support is available.
Helping people back into work isn’t just good for the economy – it’s often transformative for individuals too. Meaningful employment can provide financial stability, restore confidence, improve well-being, and help people reconnect with their communities.
Of course, for this approach to work, it needs to be built around local knowledge and partnerships. Employers, councils, charities, healthcare providers and community organisations all have an important role to play in making sure the support offered reflects the realities of the local job market and the needs of our communities.
The scheme is part of a broader package of support helping people into jobs. Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, was recently in Peterborough at the Peterborough United Foundation to launch a new youth hub, focusing on young people and employment.
The goal is straightforward: ensuring that people who want to work are not written off or left to languish but instead supported. By providing personalised support, delivered locally and focused on long-term success rather than quick fixes, Labour’s Connect to Work scheme aims to open up opportunities for thousands of people who might otherwise be left behind.
For many residents here, that could make a real difference to their lives.