The Government’s ambition for an 80% employment rate is the right one and our research shows it will benefit people, employers and the economy. More than three million people who are out of work want a job, but too often don’t get the right support. This White Paper starts us on the path to change that. I’m particularly pleased to see the Youth Guarantee, which we have long called for. There can be few bigger priorities than ensuring young people get the education and careers they need. To tackle the shockingly wide disability employment rate gap and opportunity gaps across the country, we need high-quality, joined-up, locally delivered work, skills and health support. It will take time, but the prize is great.

The Government’s Get Britain Working plan aims to chart a course towards a higher employment rate, with a focus on ensuring more people can access support to help them find work. With the number of people out of work due to ill-health rising and unevenly spread across the country, it is vital that local leaders are enabled to deliver joined-up work, health and skills support. There are often multiple reasons why someone is not in work and support needs to be tailored to individual need. Creating more joined-up support will also get more of the one million young people not in education, employment and training (NEET) earning or learning. We welcome the forthcoming review on employers, recruitment practices and healthy workplaces, as the Government needs to work with employers to achieve a real step change.