New £72 million scheme launched to support 17,000 Central London residents to find work.
The new Connect to Work programme will provide employment support for over 17,000 people with disabilities, long-term health conditions and complex barriers to employment across central London over the next five years.
The Government-funded Connect to Work Supported Employment programme was launched across central London in July 2025.
It will see up to £72 million invested over five years to support individuals with complex barriers to employment, including those with disabilities, mental health challenges, other health-related conditions, or complex barriers to work to find sustainable employment.
We will also support those in work, but at risk of losing their job.
Seetec’s role
The programme will be managed by Central London Forward (CLF) and delivered locally in the 12 Central London boroughs, either directly by local authorities or through commissioned delivery partners.
As of August 2025, Seetec will be responsible for delivering the programme in five of those boroughs.
Following a ‘place and train’ Supported Employment model and working closely with employers, Connect to Work will provide voluntary, flexible, individualised support for residents.
In this model, participants are initially helped to find a job and subsequently provided with the support and training needed to sustain and succeed in that job.
Vast experience
Seetec will work with around 5,700 people across Camden, Westminster, Haringey, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and Lambeth
Both participants and employers will be provided with support once the participants are in work, to ensure the employment is sustainable.
Teams will work closely with health care services and other relevant partners to ensure they are reaching those economically inactive residents who are most in need of help.
Vio Sima, Head of Programme at Seetec
We’re proud to launch a programme that’s not only rooted in evidence, but also in empathy.
“Connect to Work is about helping people rediscover their strengths, rebuild their confidence and re-enter the workforce with purpose.
“We’re here to walk alongside them – offering tailored support, practical tools, and real opportunities.
CLF has a vast amount of experience delivering employment support programmes across Central London including Work and Health, Pioneer, UKSPF and Connecting Communities.
Collectively, these programmes have supported over 50,000 Central London residents since 2018, helping over a third of those participating into employment.
Tailored support
Chair of Central London Forward and Leader of Westminster City Council, Cllr Adam Hug, said: “Too many Londoners struggle to get into good jobs.
“As well as the huge cost of worklessness to individuals and families, it’s one of the things that prevents economic growth across the city.
“We’re pleased today to be working with Government and councils across central London to launch Connect to Work, which will allow us to provide flexible, tailored support to those Londoners who need it most.”
Director of Central London Forward, Shadi Brazell, said: “The programme will allow us to build on the success of previous CLF programmes which have helped over 20,000 residents into employment since 2018.
“Connect to Work represents a large-scale expansion of the Supported Employment ‘place and train’ model which we know has been very successful in test programmes, including in central London and has a strong evidence base internationally and in existing programmes.
“We are looking forward to working closely with our partners in the NHS, local councils, employers and local charities to improve access to the labour market across central London.”
- Central London Forward is the sub-regional partnership of the 12 central London local authorities. We work together with our member authorities to drive inclusive and sustainable growth in central London;
- The 12 central London local authorities are Camden, City of London, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster.
