Work, skills and health

Stockton-on-Tees is situated in the Tees Valley (north east region of England) and of its 120 neighbourhoods, 39 are identified as in the 20% most income deprived (ONS, 2019).  There is a well-established link between the money and resources a person has and their mental and physical health.  

National priorities 

The Government announced their ambition to get to an 80% employment rate in their Get Britain Working Whitepaper, November 2024.  The Government has launched a comprehensive plan to address unemployment and inactivity, with a focus on work, health and skills.  

Coordinated through the North-East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) and Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) who are leading on coordination of programmes designed to: 

• improve population health and reduce health-related economic inactivity, through the Work Well Programme 
• commission employability support by Local and Combined Authorities, including the Connect to Work Programme  

The Tees Valley Combined Authority's Youth Guarantee Trailblazer 

A Get Tees Valley Working plan of how this will be delivered will be completed by Summer 2025. In addition to this, there is a regional digital innovation pilot being developed to try to streamline the available services.   

Government's Spring Statement 2025 

The statement shares the aim of getting more people into better jobs as a central part of the government's growth mission.  The government is committed to helping people start or stay in work, while protecting those who cannot work due to ill health.  

This is essential for: 

• driving opportunity  
• producing better employment outcomes and living standards 

Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working

On 18 March 2025 the government published Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working.

The Green Paper outlines reforms to incapacity and disability benefits which will save £4.8 billion from welfare spending in 2029 to 2030. This will in turn make the welfare system more pro-work and more financially sustainable.  The government will invest in additional employment, health and skills support from 2026 to 2027 to help people start or stay in work, and not fall into long term economic inactivity.

This will be scaled up to £1 billion a year by 2029 to 2030. This will provide employment and health support to anyone receiving out of work benefits with a work-limiting health condition.  The government will be reviewing Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Assessment Systems. 

Local priorities 

Stockton-on-Tees Plan 2024  

Priority 4 - an inclusive economy - ensuring all our residents can benefit from economic opportunities by delivering and embedding a fairer distribution of wealth.   

Inclusive Growth Strategy  

Key levers under the strategy are: 

• ensuring all our target communities can access economic opportunity 
• making Stockton-on-Tees a recognised place for good work and fair pay   

Health and Wellbeing Strategy 

Healthy workplaces   

We will make Stockton-on-Tees a recognised place of good work and fair pay.  As many employers as possible offering safe and supporting workplaces, that promotes and support staff health and wellbeing.   

Addressing inequality  

We will provide support for skills, education and training to give people better chances to access the job opportunities available.  We will focus efforts on communities that have more widespread issues with lower skills and lower wages, as well as people facing barriers, such as those living with a disability or those with long term health conditions.