Psychological Wellbeing and Work Pilots - Telephone Support

Through the Contestable Policy Fund, RAND Europe were commissioned by the Minister for Welfare Reform and the Minister for Care and Support to develop proposals for measures on how to achieve better outcomes for people with common mental health problems who are in and out of work, with a focus on better alignment of employment and health services. North East Yorkshire & Humber and South Yorkshire JCP Districts intend to use the FSF to carry out a pilot to test the concept of telephony -based employment and wellbeing interventions for specific JSA claimants not attached to the Work Programme, via the award of a single contract for both districts.

The pilot will test the concept of a telephony intervention for JSA claimants including the newly unemployed; young people with no work record; and new entrants to JSA from other benefits who express concern about their general wellbeing or the impact that undertaking jobsearch will have on their wellbeing, or where their JCP job coach perceives similar issues. The aim of the pilot is to test the design detail of the intervention model, methods of tracking findings and, where possible, initial effects. These findings, alongside the results of other pilots, will help inform future considerations on what types of support best assist claimants with employment and wellbeing needs to progress in the labour market.