Bexley residents will benefit from new employment support schemes aimed at helping economically inactive individuals find work. The initiatives, introduced by Bexley Business and Employment (BBE), focus on equipping residents with the confidence and job-searching skills necessary for sustained employment.
While Bexley boasts a higher proportion of economically active residents than the London average, a significant number work part-time with lower earnings. This is primarily due to the borough's higher-than-average employment in the retail sector compared to more traditional full-time roles in professional, finance, and scientific industries. This, combined with lower earnings, has a negative impact on economic independence. To address this, BBE has launched several new programs in 2025.
The Restart 2.0 program, an extension of a previous initiative, has received additional funding and is now considered an exemplar within its prime provider contract, achieving Level 1 status. The Trailblazer scheme, which allows local authorities innovative approaches to employment support, has been extended and injects further funding into the borough. This program targets various groups, including men over 50, individuals with low confidence, and parents facing childcare barriers. Specific innovative approaches within the extended Trailblazer scheme include a walk and talk
community project for men over 50, a refilling the well
initiative for those with low confidence, and employer grants to support hiring, alongside childcare funding for parents facing employment barriers.
A significant new program, Connect to Work, valued at £4.2 million over five years, will support 1,062 Bexley residents with health conditions or from disadvantaged groups. This program follows a supported employment model, a key difference from traditional employment support being that BBE advisors must integrate with primary care services. This includes co-locating with GP surgeries and other health support services, with over 50% of advisor time being spent working in the community. The program will be externally assessed against a 25-point Fidelity Scale.
BBE has also strengthened its partnerships, forging closer links with Job Centre Plus, resulting in a satellite hub at the BBE service. This collaboration has seen an increase in participant attendance and has helped onboard Job Centre Plus participants to BBE's programs. BBE is also involved with the Learning Disability Partnership Board and the Autism Partnership Board to ensure employment is a key focus for SEND residents.
Further details on employment support initiatives can be found in the Employment Support document. Information regarding the work programme is available in the Work programme Report and Appendix A - work programme.
