To achieve our outcome ambitions, we recognise that we must adopt a multi-agency people centred approach and have identified key local priority cohorts which would need to be supported including:

• Reduce health-related economic inactivity/unemployment - main reason for economic in activity is being ‘long-term sick’ - with an estimated 49,500 (37% of total in Oct 2023-Sep 2024) and is increasing
• Reduce disadvantaged young people (16-24) who are NEET, with a particular focus on school performance and mental health issues - NEET rate (16-17) and Youth Claimant Rate (18-24) have both increased recently and expected to increase further
• Reduce in-work mental health issues, with focus on reducing insecure, poor quality and low paying work – S&S have the highest proportion of those in paid employment accessing mental health support in the West Midlands
• Increase employment rate of older working aged (50-64), particular focus on long-term or musculoskeletal conditions - employment rate of older working aged remains below the working age rate at 70.7% – would need an estimated 21,000 to reach 80%
• Reduce employment rate gap between disabled people (16-64) and non-disabled people - non-disabled employment rate above Govt 80% ambition at 86.8% while disabled well below at 60.9% - would need an estimated 42,000 to reach 80%
• Increase employment rate of women, particular focus on childcare provision - men just above Govt 80% ambition at 80.5% while women remain below at 76.2% - would need an estimated 13,000 to reach 80%

It is important to recognise that these priority cohorts have been identified based on currently available local data and as the plan develops, we will explore further data sources and local intelligence from key stakeholders which may lead to further cohorts being identified. 

In addition to supporting such priority cohorts across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent, we also recognise that there are areas of high need where we will look to reduce health-related economic inactivity and unemployment in priority areas and communities, with focus on addressing root causes such as deprivation and increasing early intervention and prevention – the following map and table shows the identified locality hotspot areas with the highest need associated to Get Britain Working based on:

• economic inactivity due to long-term sickness,
• unemployment, and
• deprivation indicators.