Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Live Well mission has received a significant boost with a £10m investment from the Government. This funding is part of the Get Britain Working White Paper, which aims to reform employment support across the UK.
Greater Manchester has been selected as one of eight new trailblazer areas in the White Paper. This designation highlights the city-region's innovative approach to integrating health, wellbeing, and employment support at a local level. The £10m funding will enhance the existing Live Well movement, a grassroots initiative designed to tackle inequality and help residents thrive.
With nearly half a million people out of work and 137,000 residents long-term sick, Greater Manchester faces significant employment challenges. Research indicates that addressing health and social barriers could help 150,000 residents enter employment within the next five years. The Live Well centres will play a crucial role in this effort by combining NHS Primary Care facilities with employment support services from Job Centre Plus.
Embedded in local communities, Live Well centres will offer a range of services tailored to local needs. These include social prescribing, debt counselling, mental health services, digital inclusion support, food banks, family hubs, and social and sports clubs. The centres will be run in partnership with social enterprises and voluntary, community, and faith organisations, providing practical, wraparound help to overcome everyday issues.
Greater Manchester’s Live Well ecosystem aims to shift public spending towards tackling the root causes of poor health and inequality, rather than merely treating their consequences. This approach aligns with Lord Darzi's vision of a virtuous circle, where improving health and wellbeing reduces pressure on public services, increases employment, and boosts the economy.
The Live Well initiative will also support Greater Manchester’s Housing First approach, recognising that stable housing is essential for good health, education, and employment. Live Well centres will offer housing advice and support for renters, including property checks, enforcement action against rogue landlords, and legal advice to challenge wrongful evictions.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said:
“For people to be working well, they have to be living well – and the current job support system cannot do that with a narrow, box-ticking focus.
“Greater Manchester has already got a proven track record of helping people back into work. Our focus is on names and not numbers, and on providing a more empowering, more supportive experience within the community.
“This trailblazer will enable us to build on strong foundations and develop Live Well on a bigger scale, so we can tackle the root causes of inequality and help more people get good jobs here in our city-region.”
The Government aims to achieve a national employment rate of 80 per cent and the removal of barriers to employment in Greater Manchester could significantly contribute to this goal. The city-region’s Working Well pilot scheme has already helped around 27,500 people into new jobs and supported another 76,500 in accessing training and employment preparation.
Greater Manchester’s Live Well mission, bolstered by the new £10m funding, represents a comprehensive and integrated approach to tackling unemployment and health inequalities. By focusing on the root causes and providing tailored, community-based support, Greater Manchester is setting a new standard for public sector initiatives aimed at improving lives and boosting employment.
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