Background

The programme will be delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and aims to support disabled people and people with health conditions to access employment through personalised work, health and skills support.

 

Objectives of Fund

Grants are available through the Pathways to Work Innovation Fund to test new and innovative approaches that support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to move towards, enter, stay and progress in work.

The fund aims to build evidence about what works and for whom, with tested approaches expected to generate learning that can inform future services. Funded projects should have potential for their approaches to be adopted, replicated or scaled more widely.

The Innovation Fund forms part of Pathways to Work, a government programme that brings together personalised employment, health and skills support. The wider programme aims to create a joined-up system of support, improve access to tailored and specialist services, help people reach their employment goals and support them to overcome barriers to work.

The fund also contributes to wider efforts to build evidence about approaches that can reduce the disability employment gap, improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions and strengthen coordination between employment, health and skills support.

 

Funding Available

Up to £60 million in grant funding is available over two years through to test new ideas, approaches and uses of technology that support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to move towards, enter, stay and progress in work.

Up to £10 million is available through the first funding round, which opens in September 2026. A further £50 million is expected to be available through a second funding round, which is expected to open in early 2027.

There is no minimum or maximum grant amount. Projects must be delivered within 12 months of signing the Grant Funding Agreement and funding is available until the end of March 2028.

 

Who Can Apply

The fund is open to UK-based organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Eligible applicants include:

 

Restrictions

The fund is intended to support new ideas and approaches. Proposals that do not involve a significantly different approach or provide a significant learning opportunity are not generally eligible.

 

Examples of proposals that would not normally be funded include:

 

  • Delivering an existing service without a significantly different approach.
  • Expanding existing support without a significant learning opportunity.
  • Making minor changes to existing support without a significant learning opportunity.
  • Eligible Expenditure

Funding can support the development, testing, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of innovative proposals that help disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to move towards, enter, stay and progress in work.

 

Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:

 

  • Developing and deploying new technology, equipment or AI solutions.
  • Designing and testing new interventions.
  • Developing and piloting new products, services or tools.
  • Conducting user research and co-design activities.
  • Delivering new or significantly different services, interventions, products or delivery models.
  • Developing new partnerships or ways of working that improve coordination across employment, health and skills support.
  • Developing approaches that help employers support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
  • Applying an existing intervention or product in a significantly different context, labour market or with a new target group.
  • Meeting staff, volunteer and participant costs directly related to the project.
  • Undertaking monitoring, evaluation and learning activities.
  • Providing technology, equipment or specialist support required for delivery.
  • Undertaking partnership and collaboration activities.
  • Meeting other project delivery costs directly related to the innovative proposal.

 

How To Apply

The deadline for applications for Round 1 is 26 October 2026.

The second round is expected to open in early 2027.

Applications are made online.

More information is available at the DWP website:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pathways-to-work-innovation-fund

KVA is only promoting this grant.