Official Statistics

Connect to Work to March 2026: background information and methodology report

Published 11 June 2026

Applies to England and Wales

Introduction

This report assesses the quality of Connect to Work Official Statistics using the European Statistics System (ESS) Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). This is the method recommended by the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Quality Strategy. Statistics are of good quality when they are fit for their intended use.

The ESS QAF measures the quality of statistical outputs against the dimensions of

• relevance
• accuracy and reliability
• timeliness
• accessibility and clarity
• comparability and coherence

The GSS also recommends assessment against 3 other principles in the ESS QAF. These are

• trade-offs between output quality components
• confidentiality and transparency
• balance between performance, cost and respondent burden

These dimensions and principles cross the three pillars of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

This report also outlines the methodology used to produce these statistics.

1. Overview of the Statistics

1.1     Status of the Statistics

These statistics are classed as Official Statistics in Development. This label indicates official statistics that are undergoing development and evaluation under the guidance of the Head of Profession for Statistics.

The statistics in the Connect to Work bulletin have been developed to follow and comply with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. The Code encourages and supports producers of statistics to maintain their independence and to ensure adequate resourcing for statistical production. It helps producers and users of statistics by setting out the necessary principles and practices to produce statistics that are trustworthy, high quality and of public value.

1.2      Background Information

1.2.1 About Connect to Work

Connect to Work is a key part of the Pathways to Work offer. It is a voluntary, locally led Supported Employment programme designed to help disabled people, individuals with health conditions and people with other non-health complex barriers to employment to overcome barriers to employment and move closer to, and into, meaningful, sustainable work.  

Connect to Work funding will support around 300,000 people across all of England and Wales by March 2030. It is predominantly targeted at the economically inactive (i.e. those not required to actively look for work). It can also help those struggling to maintain work as a result of their health or complex circumstances. 

Participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. The adviser seeks good labour market matches for the participant. 

Participants are quickly supported to have conversations with prospective employers, removing the need to go through complex recruitment and application processes.  The employment adviser works with both the employer and the participant to ensure that the transition into work is smooth and that the workplace is inclusive. 

1.2.2 Participant journey

Participants on Connect to Work can receive Out of Work support or In-Work Retention Support (IWRS).

Out of Work participants receive one-to-one support from Connect to Work for up to 12 months to help identify and fulfil employment goals that are suitable for their circumstances. Up to two extensions of 3 months can be granted in exceptional circumstances. This means the total length of time an Out of Work participant can receive support is 18 months.

IWRS participants who are at risk of falling out of employment or self-employment due to their disability or complex barriers can receive up to 4 months of support, with the option to extend support for an additional 2 months in exceptional circumstances. This means the total length of time an In-Work Retention Support participant can receive support is 6 months.

1.2.3 Support models

To ensure there is suitable help for all those in the Connect to Work target groups, local areas will use 2 Supported Employment models:

• Individual Placement and Support (IPS) integrates employment support alongside primary and secondary health services, and other support services and aims to embed work as a health outcome within the health system. IPS is typically for individuals with mild to moderate health and/or physical health conditions, although Connect to Work expands this to include wider groups with non-health related complex barriers to work
• Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) offers a deeper level of support to both the participant and employer than IPS and is suitable for participants with more complex needs. In delivery terms, this may mean that a participant will receive more contact and support from their Employment Specialist, particularly in work support for both employer and employee. SEQF is appropriate for supporting learning disabled and/or autistic adults as well as others with complex support needs  

Both IPS and SEQF are quality assured against Fidelity scales. High Fidelity indicates that a service is being delivered more closely to the model, which is associated with better employment, health and wellbeing outcomes, in addition to a better participant experience. DWP will fidelity assure all Connect to Work services.  

Read more information on Connect to Work, including how to find local Connect to Work provision.

1.2.4 Measures

The Connect to Work statistics cover 6 measures:

• Referrals
• Individuals referred
• Starts
• First earnings from employment
• Lower Threshold Job Outcomes
• Higher Threshold Job Outcomes

We plan to release performance data and more detailed breakdowns when sufficient data become available. For more information on these measures, see section 3.3 Data compilation and methodology

1.2.5 Delivery areas

Connect to Work is funding support across all of England and Wales and the services are organised into 49 delivery areas.

Programme rollout up to 31 March 2026

Date area opened to first participant starts	Connect to Work Delivery Areas
28/04/2025	Greater London - West London Alliance
16/06/2025	East Sussex
30/06/2025	Kent & Medway
01/07/2025	Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire
14/07/2025	Greater Lancashire
21/07/2025	Greater London - Central London Forward
01/08/2025	South Yorkshire
11/08/2025	Greater Essex
01/09/2025	Greater London - Local London, Solent
22/09/2025	Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
30/09/2025	West Midlands
01/10/2025	Suffolk, Worcestershire, North East
14/10/2025	Warwickshire
15/10/2025	Surrey
03/11/2025	West Sussex & Brighton, South Midlands
12/11/2025	Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Oxfordshire
19/11/2025	Norfolk
24/11/2025	Staffs and Stoke on Trent
02/12/2025	Greater London - South London Partnership
12/12/2025	South West Wales
15/12/2025	Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
05/01/2026	Cumbria
12/01/2026	Tees Valley, Mid Wales
19/01/2026	Hampshire, Swindon and Wiltshire, Cheshire and Warrington
26/01/2026	Berkshire
16/02/2026	West Yorkshire
02/03/2026	East Midlands
06/03/2026	Greater Lincolnshire, Liverpool City Region
10/03/2026	York and North Yorkshire
17/03/2026	West of England
23/03/2026	Dorset
30/03/2026	Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

Notes:

• the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is included as a Connect to Work delivery area but will not feature in statistical releases as they are using their Connect to Work funding to pilot their Prevention Demonstrator via their Integrated Settlement

• this table lists the date a Connect to Work service opened. Many Connect to Work areas have chosen a phased approach to opening their services, to fit with other local provision and ensure effective roll out. Local services may become fully operational across the area at a later date than listed here, depending on local plans

1.2.6 Accountable Bodies

An Accountable Body is the lead authority within a defined Delivery Area, who will take overall responsibility as the Grant recipient for leading the implementation of Connect to Work across the Delivery Area.

1.2.7 Integrated Settlements

Integrated Settlements give Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities (EMSAs) greater flexibility to fund local priorities though a single consolidated budget. This budget is granted to EMSAs by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). 

Two of the 49 Delivery Areas (Greater Manchester and the West Midlands) received their Connect to Work funding through Integrated Settlements in 2025 to 2026. A further eight Delivery Areas received Connect to Work funding through an Integrated Settlement in 2026 to 2027. All Integrated Settlement recipients need to deliver Supported Employment to the same target groups as the national Connect to Work programme, except the Greater Manchester Combined Authority which is using their Connect to Work funding to pilot their Prevention Demonstrator.  

To provide a national picture of what has been delivered with Connect to Work funding, Integrated Settlement outcome data will be included in statistical releases, except for Greater Manchester.  

For clarity and consistency, we will use Connect to Work terminology across the statistical release, but we recognise the different funding model for Integrated Settlements and the further flexibility it enables. 

For more information, see Integrated Settlements for Mayoral Combined Authorities.

1.3   Relevance

Definition: Relevance is how the statistics meet the needs of current and potential users for both coverage and content. Innovation is pursued to continuously improve statistical output.

1.3.1 Purpose

The Connect to Work statistics have been developed to provide the primary official source of information about the number of people who have been referred to the programme along with information about those who go on to start, receive their first earnings from employment and those who achieve a job outcome.

The statistics enable a variety of users to be informed about different components of the programme, including demographics such as geographic location and personal characteristics of the participants involved.

The statistics are published on a quarterly basis to best meet user needs without compromising the quality of the data. All data are available on Stat-Xplore.

1.3.2 Users and uses

The statistics are used by a wide variety of people and teams within the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), other central government departments, Connect to Work providers, and other external users such as local authorities across England and Wales.

The users and uses of these statistics include:

• government ministers – to monitor the progress of an important government policy/programme
• MPs and House of Lords – frequently used to answer parliamentary questions and for monitoring and accountability
• government policy, strategy, operational support and associated analytical teams – to inform management information, policy development and to monitor the impact of changes over time
• DWP private and press office – to understand the depth of analysis and the impact the statistics have in the media and ministerial debate
• local government partners – to inform local-level planning and support to local government partner areas (more information on how these areas operate is available)
• academia and students – for research purposes and to support lectures, presentations, and conferences
• journalists – to support an accurate and coherent story being told about Connect to Work
• local authorities – to monitor local trends
• charities and the general public – to respond to ad hoc requests and requests made under the Freedom of Information Act

The development of this statistical release was informed by a user consultation, which ran from 5 January 2026 to 16 February 2026. We responded to the consultation with a release strategy, which we will continue to update as the statistics develop.

For feedback on the statistics, please contact epass.team@dwp.gov.uk.  

1.4   Accessibility and Clarity

Definition: Accessibility is the ease with which users can access the data, also reflecting the format in which the data are available. Clarity refers to the quality and sufficiency of the metadata, illustrations and accompanying advice.

The statistics are published as:

• HTML report
• Stat-Xplore

The statistics are produced in line with best practice and guidance from the Government Digital Service (GDS) and Government Statistical Service (GSS)

1.5  Timeliness/Punctuality 

Definition: This dimension measures that the statistics are released in a timely and punctual manner. Timeliness refers to the lapse of time between publication and the period to which the data refer. Punctuality refers to the time lag between the actual and planned dates of publication.

The statistics are published on a quarterly basis in March, June, September and December. They are released with a 2.5-month lag, so statistics published in June 2026 cover the period up to the end of March 2026.

The lag allows time for the source data to stabilise after the reporting period ends, including late entries or corrections to participant records. It also allows sufficient time for statistical production and quality assurance checks. This ensures the statistics are reliable and accurate at the time of publication.

Reporting periods align with financial reporting quarters.

2. Confidentiality, Security, Transparency 

2.1 Data confidentiality

The Code of Practice for Statistics, specifically Principle T4: Manage Data Responsibly sets out principles for how we protect data on individuals from being disclosed. In the Connect to Work statistics, we use several disclosure control methods to ensure the safety of the individuals on the programme by reducing the risk of identification.

2.2 Introduced random error

Figures in this publication and on Stat-Xplore are subject to Introduced Random Error. This is to ensure that no data is released which could risk the identification of individuals.

To do this, the cell values are slightly adjusted. However, the information value of the table is not impaired. It is not possible to determine which individual figures have been affected by random error adjustments, but the small variance which may be associated with derived totals can, for the most part, be ignored.

No reliance should be placed on small cells as they are more heavily impacted by random adjustment, respondent and processing errors. The effect of the introduced random error is minimised if the statistic required is found direct from a tabulation rather than from aggregating more finely classified data.

When calculating proportions, percentages or ratios from cross-classified or small area tables, the random error introduced can be ignored except when very small cells are involved, in which case the impact on percentages and ratios can be significant.

2.3 Rounding

Alongside the introduction of random errors, data in the statistical bulletin are subject to additional rounding unless otherwise stated. The level of rounding applied, which is dependent on the magnitude of the figure being quoted, is shown in the table below.

Range	Round to nearest
0 to 1,000	10
1,001 to 10,000	100
10,001 to 100,000	1,000
100,001 to 1,000,000	10,000
1,000,001 to 10,000,000	100,000
10,000,001 to 100,000,000	1,000,000

Users should note that percentages shown within the statistical bulletin are calculated using numbers prior to rounding and rounded to the nearest whole percentage point.

2.4 Pre-release Access

The Code of Practice for Statistics, standard T3: Be Transparent specifically references pre-release guidance in sections T3.3 & T3.4.

A list of officials who have received pre-release access to Connect to Work Official Statistics up to 24 hours in advance of publication is available.

3. Statistical Processing

3.1 Source data

Provider Referral and Payment System (PRaP) Historical Data Store (HDS)

An administrative data source that DWP and Connect to Work providers use to record key data attributes and events in the journey of Connect to Work participants.

It is available via an HDS which is a set of relational data tables extracted from the PRaP administrative system and updated each working day. The data stored in the PRaP HDS covers all current and recent employment programmes and is the main source of data used in the Connect to Work production code to form the base of the statistics. These include dates and times of decisions, referrals, starts, outcomes, payments, Supported Employment model, participant journeys, provider locations and much more.

Real Time Earnings (RTE)

The PRaP HDS contains an extract of a RTE file which gets updated daily and includes earnings and payment information for all Connect to Work participants. This is used in conjunction with the payment data from PRaP to include the payments for that are not captured in PRaP so that we can create a broader picture of outcomes information for the programme.

Customer Information System (CIS)

The Customer Information System contains a record for all individuals who have registered and been issued with a National Insurance number. It is used in combination with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL) to enrich the Connect to Work cohort dataset with geographical information. Sex and date of birth for claimants are also taken directly from the CIS.

Sex is measured as male, female or unknown. Date of birth is measured as a date.

Age is derived directly from date of birth, by calculating how long a claimant has been alive from their date of birth to the referral date. Age is available as single year or in age bands: 16-19, 5-year increments from 20 to 64, an over 65 group and unknown or missing.

National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL)

The NSPL contains a record for all Census Output Areas in Great Britain. It is used in combination with CIS to enrich the Connect to Work cohort dataset with geographical information.

3.2 Data Cleaning 

Where the source data contains multiple records referencing the same referral, only the latest record is kept ensuring there are no duplicate records. When a start is recorded incorrectly by the provider, the PRaP Operational Support Team will mark the record as a cancellation, and these are removed.

Additionally, records dated before the start of the programme (28 April 2025) are removed.

If a participant’s age at referral is calculated as less than 16 or greater than 90, or if it is missing, age band is recorded as unknown.

3.3  Data compilation and methodology

Term	Definition
Referrals	the point at which a participant confirms their willingness to go on Connect to Work. Each referral is recorded on PRaP.
Individuals referred	Since one individual can have multiple referrals, individuals referred is the number of individual people that have been referred to Connect to Work. For this measure, only the first referral per person is counted.
Starts	A start is recorded on PRaP when a participant has met with an advisor and signed a Vocational Action Plan.
First earnings from employment	The point at which a participant achieves their first earnings from employment whilst on the programme. This measure does not include those on the In-Work Retention Support journey. For self-employed participants, this is when a self-employment start is recorded on PRaP. For an Out-of-Work employed participant, this is when at least 1p earnings is recorded on the Real Time Earnings feed.
Lower Threshold Job Outcome (LTJO)	For Out-of-Work employed participants, this is the point at which the participant receives gross earnings equivalent to 9 hours x 13 weeks at the National Living Wage. This threshold will change annually as the National Living Wage rate changes. For Out-of-Work self-employed participants, this is this is the point at which the participant has achieved a cumulative period of 13 weeks of self-employment. Lower Threshold Job Outcome statistics do not include those on the In-Work Retention Support journey.
Higher Threshold Job Outcome (HTJO)	For employed participants, this is the point at which a participant receives gross earnings equivalent to 18 hours x 26 weeks at the National Living Wage. This threshold will change annually as the National Living Wage rate changes. For self-employed participants, this is the point at which the participant has achieved a cumulative period of 26 weeks of self-employment. Higher Threshold Job Outcome statistics include both the Out-of-Work and the In-Work Retention Support journey.
Age	The age of a participant is derived from their date of birth on CIS and the date of referral on PRaP and therefore is the age at point of referral. Age is available as single year age as well as in age bands.
Sex	Sex is sourced from the Customer Information System (CIS) which reports male, female or unknown and is defined as legal sex.

The tracking period for Out of Work participants to achieve first earnings from employment, a lower threshold job outcome, or a higher threshold job outcome is the length of time they are receiving support plus 13 weeks. For example, if a participant joins the programme and has one extension of 3 months, their tracking period will be 15 months plus 13 weeks, for a total of 547 days.

The tracking period for an IWRS participant to achieve a Higher Threshold Job Outcome is 12 months from joining the programme.

4. Quality Management

4.1 Quality Assurance During Development

During the initial development process, exploratory analysis was carried out to understand the structure and limitations of the source data. Quality assurance checks where use to assess:

• completeness of the source data
• levels and patterns of missing data
• presence of duplicate records
• contradictory or inconsistent information
• data quality of measures and participant characteristics

4.2 Routine Quality Assurance

A standard set of quality assurance procedures are conducted for each statistical release by multiple analysts. These include:

1. Processing the data using statistical analysis software and noting and correcting any errors.

2. Checking for data completeness in the outputted figures.

3. Comparing figures with previous publications to ensure there are no discrepancies in the data.

4. Comparing figures against internal Management Information (MI) to verify data quality, trends and variations.

5. Ensuring commentary and supporting information is accurate and impartial.

5. Accuracy & Reliability

Definition: Accuracy is the proximity between an estimate and the unknown true value. Reliability is the closeness of early estimates to subsequent estimated values.

The statistics are created from administrative data sources, PRaP HDS and RTE, which are updated daily. This gives the Department a timely and accurate representation of how Connect to Work helps participants find employment. Another benefit is the ability to link and merge different administrative sources to give a more complete picture of participants by adding in demographic information.

Since PRaP HDS is an administrative data source collected as a part of operational delivery rather than specifically for statistical purposes, there are some potential sources of error:         

• data entry error – errors can arise from manual input of entries.
• late updates and amendments – if corrections are made to the data after the initial entry, then there is a risk that figures for the most recent months will retrospectively change

These risks are mitigated by thorough quality assurance checks described in section 4. Quality Management and by daily updates to PRaP HDS.

6. Coherence and comparability

Comparability is the degree to which data can be compared over time, region or other domain. Coherence is the degree to which the statistical processes use the same concepts and harmonised methodology. With the goal being able to combine and make joint use of related data from different data sources.

The methodology is expected to remain broadly consistent overtime; however, the statistics are classified as Official Statistics in Development, so some refinement and the addition of new measures is expected as the publication matures.

Care should be taken when comparing data by geography or delivery area. Two of the 49 Delivery Areas received their Connect to Work funding through Integrated Settlements in 2025 to 2026. A further eight Delivery Areas received Connect to Work funding through an Integrated Settlement in 2026 to 2027. Integrated Settlements have different arrangements for funding, monitoring outcomes and accountability, which may alter how provision is delivered locally. Therefore, comparisons between Accountable Bodies and Integrated Settlements should be made with care. For more information on Integrated Settlements, see Integrated Settlements for Mayoral Combined Authorities.

Comparisons between Out-of-Work and In-Work Retention Support participant groups should be made with care. Although both groups can achieve Higher Threshold Job Outcomes, this measure is not directly comparable across the groups due to different starting circumstances.

6.1 Data Revision

6.1.1 Planned

DWP has a policy for planned revisions describing how we will handle revisions and give confidence that revisions will be handled in a transparent manner. For Connect to Work statistics, to reflect any updates to the figures, the full historical statistical series is refreshed each time the figures are released.

We allow some time for additional information to be incorporated into DWP’s data systems. This period is referred to as “retrospection”. Information may be submitted, corrected, and then re-submitted sometime after the event occurred. This means data presented in each release is subject to some retrospection and figures may vary slightly in subsequent releases.

To ensure retrospection is minimal and the statistics represent a more complete picture of events, data has a 2.5-month lag. This means in June we publish data to the end of March.

7. Glossary  

Acronym	Definition
AB	Accountable Body
CIS	Customer Information System
DWP	Department for Work and Pensions
ESS	European Statistics System
GDS	Government Digital Service
GSS	Government Statistical Service
HTJO	Higher Threshold Job Outcome
IPS	Individual Placement and Support
IWRS	In-Work Retention Support
LTJO	Lower Threshold Job Outcome
MI	Management Information
NSPL	National Statistics Postcode Lookup
PRaP	Provider Referrals and Payments System
QAF	Quality Assurance Framework
RTE	Real Time Earnings
SEQF	Supported Employment Quality Framework

8. Feedback

Connect to Work Official Statistics are published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Lead Analyst/Statistician: Tracy Hills

If you would like to offer feedback or require further information on these statistics, please contact epass.team@dwp.gov.uk.

For media enquiries on these statistics, please contact the DWP Press Office.

ISBN 978-1-78659-993-3