Research and analysis

WorkWell Pilot management information from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2026

Published 21 May 2026

Applies to England

1. Main Stories

The main stories are:

• there has been approximately 34,000 working age people with health conditions starting a WorkWell intervention between when the programme began in October 2024 until the end of the pilot in March 2026, the latest month where data was available

• of those who started the program, 43% are in work, and 57% are out of work at their first appointment

• the main referral route for WorkWell is a GP or Primary Care setting, which accounts for 29% of all starts

• almost half (47%) of all starts have listed a mental health related condition as their primary health barrier to work

• almost two thirds (66%) are aged 35 and over

• 56% are women, and 42% are men

2. Background

WorkWell is an integrated early-intervention work and health support offer, providing light touch, holistic services to overcome health-related barriers to employment, and a single, joined-up gateway to other support services. It is designed and delivered locally through 15 of the 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) throughout England. The 15 ICBs that WorkWell currently operates in can be found in annex A.

WorkWell started delivery from October 2024, although to note that sites had a staggered start, with some starting later in 2024 and early in 2025. This publication provides information on those who have started a WorkWell intervention in 14 out of the 15 sites^{[footnote 1]}. The data covered the whole pilot period of the program from when the pilot began in October 2024 until the end of March 2026. WorkWell will still run in the pilot sites until it is extended nationally across England in November 2026. This release is the second statistical release of management information and only covers information on those who started a WorkWell Plan, there is no information on employment or health outcomes from the program within this publication. More information on management information can be found within section 4 of the publication.

3. WorkWell Pilot Management Information

Table 1 shows the number of starts in WorkWell by month for 14 of the 15 areas.

Table 1: Number of starts in WorkWell by date

Date	Starts in WorkWell
Total	34,210
Oct 2024	330
Nov 2024	720
Dec 2024	670
Jan 2025	1,230
Feb 2025	1,470
Mar 2025	1,820
Apr 2025	1,820
May 2025	1,920
Jun 2025	2,340
Jul 2025	2,760
Aug 2025	2,230
Sep 2025	2,520
Oct 2025	2,820
Nov 2025	2,470
Dec 2025	2,180
Jan 2026	2,400
Feb 2026	2,410
Mar 2026	2,100

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Figure 1: Number of starts in WorkWell by date

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Figure 1 shows a line chart illustrating the trend in the volumes of starts in WorkWell over time. An upward trend is seen initially, starting at 330 in October 2024, with monthly starts peaking at 2,800 in October 2025. Since then, the volume of starts has levelled off, finishing at 2,100 at the most recently available data point in March 2026.

Table 1 shows that as the WorkWell pilot was established, more participants were supported to start on a plan each month. There were 330 starts in WorkWell in October 2024, the month WorkWell started delivery in some sites, and there were 2,100 starts in WorkWell in March 2026, the latest month for which data is available. Since the peak of 2,800 starts in October 2025, the volume of starts in each month has levelled off. The average volume of starts in a month since October 2025 is 2,300. In total, there have been approximately 34,000 starts in WorkWell.

Table 2 shows the number of starts in WorkWell by Integrated Care Board.

Table 2: Number of starts in WorkWell by Integrated Care Board

Integrated Care Board	Starts in WorkWell
Total	34,210
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board	6,080
NHS North West London Integrated Care Board	4,610
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board	3,120
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board	3,020
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board	2,790
NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board	2,690
NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board	2,460
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board	2,230
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board	1,500
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board	1,260
NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board	1,240
NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board	1,230
NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board	1,010
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board	980
NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board	N/A

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 2 shows the number of people who started a WorkWell intervention in each of the 14 areas delivering WorkWell for which we have data for. NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board has had 6,100 people starting a WorkWell more intervention (18% of all starts), more than any other area.

Of the total amount of starts to WorkWell, 43% of WorkWell participants are in work, this includes 13% of WorkWell participants who are on sickness absence, and 57% are out of work at their first appointment. ‘Out of work’ includes those who are unemployed and economically inactive, and is self-reported via the management information collection. More information on the management information collection can be found within section 4 of this publication.

Table 3: Proportion of WorkWell starts by referral route

Referral route	Proportion of starts
GP or Primary Care	29%
Self-Referral	24%
Jobcentre Plus	22%
Voluntary/Community Sector	9%
Other	6%
Local Health Services	5%
Local Authority	3%
Employer	2%

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 3 shows the proportion of WorkWell starts that are referred in by different routes. The largest referral route into WorkWell is from a GP or Primary Care setting, which accounts for 29% of all starts. 2% of all starts are referred by an employer however we know through separate communications with Integrated Care Boards that employers have been known to sign post employees who self-refer onto WorkWell.

Note: this data is based on the participant referral route given within the management information from the Integrated Care Board. Self-referrals may have been advised to apply via one of the other options. Those listed as being referred through Jobcentre Plus may have been signposted at Jobcentre Plus. Those listed under “Other” may fall into another category however that is the data that we have received.

Table 4: Proportion of WorkWell starts by Primary Health

Primary Health Barrier	Proportion of Starts
Mental Health Conditions	47%
Musculoskeletal Conditions	22%
Other	19%
Autism	4%
Heart, Blood Pressure, Blood Circulation Conditions	3%
Severe Or Specific Learning Difficulties	2%
Stomach, Liver, Kidney Or Digestive Conditions	2%

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 4 shows the proportion of WorkWell starts by participants self-reported primary health related barriers to work. Almost half (47%) of all WorkWell starts have listed a mental health condition as their main health barrier to work. 46% of participants have also listed a secondary health barrier that affects their ability to work.

A full list of health conditions that are listed under the ‘Other’ category can be found within Annex B.

Note: this data is based on the primary health barrier given within the management information from the Integrated Care Board. Those listed under “Other” may fall into another category however that is the data that we have received.

Table 5: Proportion of WorkWell starts by Primary Non-Health related Barrier to Work

Non-Health Related Barrier	Proportion of Starts
N/A	35%
Confidence	22%
Suitable Jobs	18%
Transport	7%
Skills	6%
Childcare	5%
Non-health barrier not listed elsewhere	5%
Caring Responsibilities	3%

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 5 shows the proportion of WorkWell participants by self-reported primary non-health related barriers to work. Over a third (35%) of participants said they did not have a non-health related barrier to work. The most common non-health related barriers to work were a perceived lack of confidence (22% of all starts) and a perceived lack of suitable jobs (18% of all starts).

Note: this data is based on the primary non-health barrier given within the management information from the Integrated Care Board. Those listed under “Non-health barrier not listed elsewhere” may fall into another category however that is the data that we have received.

Table 6: Proportion of WorkWell starts by Age Group

Age Group	Proportion of starts
16-24	10%
25-34	20%
35-49	34%
50-66	32%
67 and Over	1%
Missing Data	4%

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 6 shows the proportion of WorkWell starts by age group. Almost two thirds (66%) of WorkWell participants are aged 35 and over, with the most common age group being those aged between 35 and 49 years old, with those being aged between 55 and 66 years old only being slightly less common. 10% of all WorkWell starts are in the youngest age group, with ages between 16 and 24 years old.

Table 7: Proportion of WorkWell starts by Men and Women

	Proportion of starts
Women	56%
Men	42%
Missing data	2%

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 7 shows the proportion of WorkWell starts by men and women. The majority (56%) of all WorkWell starts are women.

Note: This management information was collected by WorkWell coaches selecting what the participants sex/gender was after their initial meeting with the participant. Due to how this was collected there are some participants who have listed transgender and non-binary categories in response to this question. In this publication we have only presented those who said they were a woman or a man for this question. We will keep up to date with future guidance to see if this approach needs adjusting in the future.

Table 8: Proportion of WorkWell starts by Highest Education Level

Highest Education Level	Proportion of starts
A-Level/College Diploma	25%
Less than 5 Secondary Education Qualifications (GCSE/O-Level)	24%
More than or equal to 5 Secondary Education Qualifications (GCSE/O-Level)	19%
Undergraduate Degree	17%
Prefer not to say	8%
Postgraduate Master’s Degree	7%
Postgraduate PhD	1%

Source: DWP Management Information on WorkWell, correct as of 1 May 2026.

Table 8 shows the proportion of WorkWell starts by highest education level obtained. The most common education level for WorkWell participants is A-levels or a college diploma (25% of all starts). Almost a quarter (24%) of all starts have some form of university degree such as a bachelor’s, a master’s or a PhD.

4. About these statistics

Notes about the data

The data used is based on Management Information (MI) that is received from the Integrated Care Boards that are delivering a WorkWell service. This data has been collected monthly since October 2024, although not all sites started live delivery on this date and as such data has developed over time.

Data on referrals is incomplete due to local differences in the capture of this data. For example, some sites cannot collect and provide information on participants who have been referred and do not start due to the legal basis they utilised to collect and share data with the department. Due to this, data on referrals (those who were referred but did not start on the service) are not included in this publication.

The figures are subject to retrospection, meaning changes can occur as DWP receives updated information, particularly in the most recent month.

This MI is an important part of the WorkWell Pilot’s plans to evaluate the service being delivered, providing quantitative data. The contents will remain under review and will be further developed when appropriate to do so. We would welcome feedback to inform our plans for future releases.

Definitions and terminology within the statistics

Term	Definition
Mental Health Conditions	This is a group of conditions including depression, bad nerves and anxiety (common mental health problems) other conditions, such as bi-polar disorder, psychotic disorders, and other psychiatric disorders.
Musculoskeletal Conditions	This is a group of conditions including back pain, neck and upper limb problems and other musculoskeletal problems.
In work	People of working age who either: did paid work in the week they were referred (as an employee or self-employed); had a job that they were temporarily away from; were placed with employers on government-supported training and employment programmes; or doing unpaid family work.
Out of work	This refers to people who do not meet the definition of ‘in employment’ above. In other words, they are either unemployed or economically inactive (International Labour Organization definition).

Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics

The Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code) is built around three main concepts, or pillars:

• Trustworthiness – is about having confidence in the people and organisations that publish statistics
• Quality – is about using data and methods that produce assured statistics
• Value – is about publishing statistics that support society’s needs for information

The following explains how we have applied the pillars of the Code in a proportionate way.

Trustworthiness

This Management Information has been collected monthly since the WorkWell Pilot began. This is being published now to give equal access to all those with an interest in the information.

Quality

This publication uses internal management information used directly within the WorkWell Pilot and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards. However, engagement has taken place with data owners to ensure this data is fit-for-purpose and of sufficient quality for publication. Multiple rounds of quality assurance have been applied to ensure the data is as accurate and reliable as possible.

Value

Releasing this information serves the public interest by providing granularity of the number of starts in WorkWell, and the proportion of these by health condition, referral route, employment status, age group and sex. Making this information accessible provides ministers and stakeholders with an overview of the WorkWell Pilot while helping to reduce the administrative burden of answering Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information requests and ad hoc queries.

Rounding Policy

Data, except for tables, in the release has been rounded as per the table below.

From	To	Rounded to nearest
0	1,000	10
1,001	10,000	100
10,001	100,000	1,000

All tables have been rounded to the nearest 10.

All changes and totals are calculated prior to rounding. Percentage changes are calculated prior to rounding and then are rounded to the nearest whole number. As all figures within this statistical summary have been rounded, they may not add up.

Contact information and feedback

Authors: Rob Sankey

Lead Analyst: Simon Marlow

For more information on WorkWell Evaluation, contact the team at: workwell.evaluationteam@dwp.gov.uk

Press enquiries should be directed to the DWP Press Office: 020 3267 5144

5. Annex A

Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) that are part of the WorkWell Pilot.

Integrated Care Board
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board
NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board
NHS North West London Integrated Care Board
NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board
NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board
NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board[footnote 2]

6. Annex B

Health conditions that are grouped into the “Other” category in table 4
Cancers
Chest Or Breathing Problems, Asthma, Bronchitis
Diabetes
Difficulty In Hearing
Epilepsy
Health Condition not Listed Elsewhere
Severe Disfigurement, Skin Condition, Allergies
Speech Impediment

1. Limited MI data was supplied by NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board due to data sharing challenges, therefore they have been excluded from this MI publication. ↩

2. Note, this publication does not contain information on those that have started a WorkWell intervention from NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board. ↩