Recommendation 16

HM Government Deferred

Government has committed to testing a financial incentive (subsidy) and market navigation support scheme to gather evidence on whether this is effective in increasing access to OH for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the self-employed. Spring Budget 2023 announced new funding to expand the forthcoming Occupational Health SME subsidy pilot. This funding covers the next two financial years and increases in the second year as the pilot increases in scale. Chapter 2 of the Occupational Health: Working Better consultation considers the lessons learned from both international and domestic examples of systems change. Responses will inform potential policy proposals for increasing access to OH. Conclusion and Recommendation 17 Creating opportunities for older workers to remain active in the labour market for longer is important for reducing economic inactivity. The Government’s Returnerships initiative looks to support older workers to change career but does not attempt to reduce the loss of industry experience and expertise that this will entail. DWP should develop a mentoring initiative that provides opportunities for older workers to take on roles as industry mentors to train and support new workers. This is particularly relevant for sectors such as construction and healthcare which see high levels of work-related ill-health or burnout. (Paragraph 106) Response As part of their wider role, specialist 50 Plus Champions are partnering with jobcentres and employers to facilitate delivery of employer led mentoring workshops. Workshops can be tailored specifically to 50 plus claimant groups and if appropriate, delivery is sector specific. Sessions provide additional employability support and advice on transferable skills which can support individuals to pivot into another career. The results of this partnership work are being seen across all jobcentre districts, with several leading employers working alongside DWP staff to support jobcentre customers. The Taking Teaching Further (TTF) programme provides support for individuals considering a career teaching in Further Education (FE), including those over 50 looking to share their industry expertise with the next generation. TTF provides funding to support FE providers to recruit and provide early career support to individuals with the relevant knowledge and industry experience to retrain as FE teachers, including in construction and the built environment, health and science, and care services. Since 2018, the TTF programme has supported around 1,000 industry professionals to make the transition to FE teaching. In addition to the above, we are piloting a £6,000 financial incentive to eligible TTF recruits in some of the most hard-to-fill subjects, including construction and the built environment, and engineering and manufacturing, which are UK high growth or priority subjects. Conclusion and recommendation 18 Some over 50s who stopped working after the pandemic may not have the financial security, they need to support themselves for the rest of their lives. We welcome the new Midlife MOT website launched by DWP on 5 July 2023 and its purpose to “help older workers with financial planning”. In line with our recommendations in the Accessing pension savings Report, DWP should work to ensure maximum take-up of the scheme and monitor its accessibility and effectiveness. DWP should confirm that it is still committed to offering the mid-life MOT in person, as well as digitally. (Paragraph 116) Response The Government is committed to delivering a comprehensive package of support for older workers which includes the digital and Jobcentre Plus Midlife MOT. The digital offer is open and available to everyone. The Midlife MOT website signposts to key organisations and charities, including the NHS and MoneyHelper. The digital offer will continually be reviewed to ensure it is as up to date and tailored as possible. Since its launch in January 2023, the Midlife MOT is being delivered face to face in jobcentres to eligible 50 plus claimants across GB. Spring Budget 2023 announced the offer will be expanded to up to 40,000 participants a year, meaning even more 50 plus claimants will now be able to take part in a session. The Department is collaborating with three different private sector suppliers to deliver employer-to-employee Midlife MOTs in three pilot areas. The pilot went live on 15 May 2023 and will run for two years. The three pilot areas are North East England facilitated by PeoplePlus, East Anglia by Reed, and Cornwall and Devon by Capita. Employees in these pilot areas are able to access support on boosting their confidence for later life planning, signposted to helpful tools and provided with information and guidance on their health, enabling them to take action reflective of their circumstances. Conclusion and recommendation 19 The UK labour market is facing high rates of economic inactivity, driven up as a result of the pandemic and the ending of freedom of movem