The New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) is the major employment programme
available to people claiming incapacity-related benefits, and is an important part of
the Government’s welfare-to-work strategy. NDDP is a voluntary programme that
provides a national network of Job Brokers to help people with health conditions
and disabilities move into sustained employment.
The evaluation design incorporates a longitudinal dimension, and this report
presents selected findings from the evaluation. It covers developments up to and
including spring 2004, and synthesises findings from fieldwork with NDDP
participants, employers, members of the eligible population, those delivering the
programme (notably staff from Job Brokers and Jobcentre Plus offices), and from
administrative data.
There are two recurrent themes running through this report: first, continuity and
change in the programme, the institutions delivering NDDP and in respondents’
views and experiences; and secondly, identifying ‘what works’ in terms of securing
job entries and sustainable employment.
For findings covered in both synthesis reports, Chapter 2 maps the extent to which
there has been continuity and change for selective aspects of NDDP. As might be
expected there are some aspects of NDDP that are unchanged. However, there is
also evidence of change and progression – for example, of improved relationships
between Job Brokers and Jobcentre Plus locally
