JOBSPLUS PILOT SCHEME SHOWS EARLY SIGNS OF EFFECTIVENESS IN ENGLAND

A government-funded pilot programme targeting unemployment in 10 neighbourhoods across England has recorded positive early results, according to a new evaluation. The JobsPlus scheme, backed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Youth Futures Foundation, concentrates intensive employment support within small areas of predominantly social housing. Between July 2024 and December 2024, 27 per cent of more than 1,000 participants achieved a positive employment outcome. In the vast majority of cases, that meant moving from unemployment into paid work, with a small number finding improved employment.

The scheme deploys caseworkers who provide one-to-one support, financial assistance with items such as interview clothing and transport, and connections to local employers, Jobcentre Plus offices, and NHS services. Community champions at each site engage residents who might not otherwise access support. Residents of social housing are almost twice as likely to be unemployed as the general population. Around 31 per cent of participants are aged 16 to 24, compared with 12 per cent of eligible residents in the surrounding areas. The evaluation found the pilots were reaching people typically furthest from the labour market, who require longer and more intensive support before achieving employment outcomes.

The evaluation also recorded broader wellbeing improvements among participants, including reduced anxiety, low mood, and social isolation, alongside improved resilience. Many participants described these mental health gains as essential to applying for jobs or sustaining employment once found. The model echoes a long-established scheme in the United States and the evaluation indicates it could be scaled nationally. The number of 16-to-24-year-olds not in employment, education, or training in the United Kingdom has exceeded one million for the first time in a decade. The Youth Futures Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation co-funding the programme alongside the DWP.