Hundreds of Leeds residents who have been unable to work due to health conditions are set to benefit from a new £700,000 investment aimed at breaking down barriers to employment.
The funding, managed by Leeds City Council’s Employment and Skills Service, will support more than 500 residents across the city who are economically inactive because of physical or mental health challenges.
Seventeen local organisations have been awarded grants to deliver specialist pre-employment support, combining health management with job training and confidence-building.
The funding forms part of the Government’s Trailblazer Programme, administered through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board as part of the Healthy Working Life programme.
Helping people rebuild confidence
The new initiative recognises that for many people living with long-term conditions, the first step back into work begins with tackling physical, emotional, or psychological barriers.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Sustainable Development, said the funding will make a tangible difference: “We work hard to help people across Leeds, from all areas and backgrounds, reach their full potential.
With this funding, more than 500 residents who are experiencing barriers to work will receive the tailored support they need, whether that’s training, health advice, or one-to-one coaching.
This is directly in line with our Leeds Ambitions and our mission to tackle poverty and inequality, improving quality of life in all our communities.”
The supported organisations span the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors, from mental health charities to housing and skills projects, ensuring help reaches people most in need.
Bringing skills, structure, and purpose
Among those awarded funding is Aphasia Support, which helps people with communication difficulties following a stroke or head injury. The group will use its grant to work with 24 people, helping them build confidence, develop communication skills, and move closer to employment or volunteering.
Another recipient, LATCH (Leeds Action to Create Homes), refurbishes derelict houses while providing work experience for people who have experienced homelessness or long-term unemployment.
Ruth Frost, Fundraising and Communications Manager at LATCH, said: “This funding is wonderful news for us and for the people we work with.
It allows us to deliver hands-on construction training on real renovation sites, teaching trade skills like joinery, tiling, and kitchen fitting, but also vital soft skills such as teamwork, timekeeping, and resilience.
We’ll also provide one-to-one coaching for people who’ve been homeless or are furthest from the labour market, helping them find structure and purpose through meaningful activity.”
A city working together
The Healthy Working Life programme builds on Leeds’s reputation for partnership-led approaches to employment and wellbeing. By integrating health support with job skills, the projects aim to reduce economic inactivity while boosting wellbeing and confidence.
The scheme will address a broad spectrum of health-related barriers, including mental health conditions, musculoskeletal pain, cardiovascular issues, and disabilities such as learning difficulties.
Local health leaders have praised the initiative as a model for cross-sector collaboration. By working jointly across council services, the NHS, and local employers, the city is creating practical routes back into work for people who often feel left behind.
“This is about people, not just statistics,” said a council spokesperson. “When someone regains confidence and employment, it benefits their health, their family, and the wider economy.”
Building a fairer future for Leeds
The programme is part of Leeds’s wider Inclusive Growth Strategy, which focuses on creating good jobs, tackling inequality, and ensuring prosperity reaches every community.
The council says its goal is to create an environment where no one is excluded from opportunity because of health or circumstance.
