Employer Support Programme

Introduction and Background

A key part of this government’s mission to kick-start growth is a commitment to building an inclusive and thriving labour market where everyone has the opportunity of good work, and the chance to get on at work.

The Get Britain Working White Paper quotes – “Building a thriving and inclusive labour market and increasing the number of people in work is central to achieving the government’s number one mission to grow the economy”

A quarter of the UK population aged 16 to 64, live with a long-term health condition that limits their daily activities. Many of these individuals are eager to work but face significant barriers, including difficulty finding suitable roles, accessing timely and tailored support, and securing appropriate workplace adjustments. Similar issues are also affecting those employed meaning they face the possibility of becoming economically inactive, when they would rather not.

As announced by the government, the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) has been chosen as one of eight areas to lead a Get Britain Working Economic Inactivity Trailblazer. This is a test and learn project, exploring ways of delivering effective support and joining up systems and services with the overarching ambition of delivering good work for our residents.

The top priorities for the project in York & North Yorkshire (YNY) are to:

  • Engage with and support people between the ages of 16-24 and 50-64, who are out of work due to ill health/or at risk of having to leave work due to ill health
  • Work with employers to help them provide good work opportunities
  • Develop ways in which networks of systems and services can be joined up to make it easier for people to access work, health and skills support and services
  • Work with individuals to explore progress towards self-employment

While ill health and these age groups are our main focus, activity will also need to support other age groups, and other barriers to people not able to get work/stay in work, such as neurodiversity, mental and physical disabilities, age, low skills and caring responsibilities.

This Trailblazer programme aims to help 1,500 people seeking work, 500 people already in work who need support and 150 businesses.

Good Work - Supporting Employers and the needs identified

Employers play a vital role, in creating good work opportunities, and reducing current and future economic inactivity.  The Employer Support Programme aims to support our York & North Yorkshire (YNY) employers to build their capacity to create inclusive job opportunities that YNY’s residents need.

After consultation with and feedback from employers and delivery partners, YNYCA have identified that a range of support is needed for employers across YNY including:

  • HR and Occupational Health Support – long term sickness/absence is an issue. In YNY, most businesses are microbusinesses with fewer than 10 employees and often lack in-house HR and occupational health support.
  • Support with mental and physical health issues in the workplace.
  • Changes to whole workplace/workforce/culture – To build the capabilities of employers and the wider workforce to create and sustain inclusive, supportive, and healthy workplace environments.
  • Leadership, Management, Team Leader Support and Development – to equip employees and their teams with the skills, knowledge and practical tools to deliver successful inclusive recruitment, retention and progression ongoing.
  • 1:1 support – To implement and embed changes 1:1 not just training/toolkits
  • Support with neurodiversity in the workplace.
  • Business Needs Assessment – Structured assessments to explore specific needs, challenges and opportunities, helping identify the most relevant and effective support and training interventions.
  • Tailored, Flexible Support – Offering a range of support options, from one-off training sessions and workshops to ongoing consultancy and mentoring enabling employers to learn, apply and sustain changes and benefit from multi-level, progressive support.
The Employer Support Programme

We are now looking for providers to develop and deliver an Employer Support Programme, for employers and where appropriate, their employees. In their applications, providers need to evidence how their programme will identify and support businesses that are:  

  • Struggling to recruit, onboard, embed and retain staff
  • In need of support in creating a supportive, inclusive, healthy workplace
  • Needing support and guidance in retaining staff that could become economically inactive due to such things as ill health, caring responsibilities and disabilities
  • In addition, the programme can also support those individuals currently inactive and wishing to start their own business and to become self-employed.

Providers will be asked to state clearly which elements they will deliver.

  • Training/Workshops/Master classes
  • 1:1 consultancy support to develop systems, processes, templates, training, workplace policies and practices etc
  • Mentoring – ongoing support to ensure new ways of working are embedded within the business/teams
  • Bespoke advice and support relating to employment and health, including:
    • HR advice to make systems and process more inclusive (recruitment, retention, progression, talent pipelines and succession planning, support with neurodiversity in the workplace),
    • Occupational health support (support with mental and physical health issues in the workplace) to support individuals to move into / remain in work
    • Support for inactive individuals with neurodiverse conditions to explore and progress towards self-employment including; ‘readiness for self-employment’ training, advice and mentoring and benefits support and advice.

This is a test and learn programme. We have identified that this list of programme elements is needed, however it is not exhaustive. There may be additional programme elements which you believe your employer support programme can and should deliver. The application form will allow you to include and submit these.

The preference is for this support to be available across the whole geography of York & North Yorkshire and will be fully funded by the Trailblazer project.

Outputs and Outcomes

We are excited to hear from potential providers as to how their Employer Support Programme can address the needs outlined above, as well as how this will deliver lasting impact and positive change.

Project applicants will be expected to demonstrate how their proposed programme will deliver against the following outputs and outcomes.

  • Number of businesses receiving support
  • Number of businesses better equipped to retain workers with health conditions
  • Number of businesses adapting and embedding inclusive processes/practices
  • Number of businesses better equipped to recruit workers previously inactive/with health conditions
  • Numbers of employers accessing consultancy/mentoring support
  • Number of people receiving support to help them remain in work

There may be additional outputs and outcomes which you believe your support programme can and should deliver. The application form will allow you to include these.

As part of the application, you will be asked to specify the quantities of outputs and outcomes that you expect your programme will achieve.

Funding Opportunity and Requirements
Total Value (revenue only) £1m
Open window for applications From 28th July until midnight August 24th 2025 (4 weeks)
Amount of funding available (revenue only) Grants – min £100,000 max £249,999 (*see below)
Delivery window September 2025 – March 2026

 

Who can apply?

Applications will be accepted from organisations including individual organisations, partnerships, or consortiums.  (This list is not exhaustive)

*Joint and collaborative applications are strongly encouraged, especially where provision will be complementary. The conditions and strength of any partnership submission will be considered during the programme appraisal process.

Where an application is submitted by a partnership or consortium on behalf of multiple organisations, a ‘lead applicant’ or ‘lead provider’ must be identified to complete the application, enter into the funding agreement, and distribute the funding amongst its partners. The lead applicant will act as an accountable body for the programme. All delivery partners should be clearly outlined in the application and a signed declaration will be required as proof of each organisation’s commitment.  

Programme Costs

As part of the application, you will be asked to provide a full breakdown of programme costs including staff costs. Applications need to cover all costs required for delivery of the programme in full, as no additional costs will be considered.

This is not a capital fund and therefore cannot fund:

  • Costs associated with the maintenance of buildings, classrooms and workshops, or capital work which has already been planned and scheduled
  • Costs of developing new build facilities
  • Costs of purchasing equipment.

It will also not fund:

  • Costs related to courses that are already running or staffing that is already funded. Applications should not include costs for ‘business as usual’ activity or activity which has already been planned to be introduced in 2025, 2026 or 2027
  • Recoverable VAT
  • Programme contingency costs and contingent liabilities
  • Management fees to support general organisational running costs above 10% of your total programme costs
The Application Process and Indicative timelines

Applicants must read the prospectus, fully complete the application form and submit all additional application information as per the below deadlines.

Milestone Date
Formal Launch of prospectus and open call for applications 28th July  – 24th August 2025
(4 weeks)
Deadline for applications 24th August 2025 (Midnight)
Appraisal and Decision making  August 2025
Programmes commence September 2025
Monitoring Monthly (ongoing)
Evaluation Reporting September 2025 – March 2026
How will applications be assessed?

All applications submitted will be scored against a consistent appraisal framework. All applications and scoring will be presented to a moderation panel to make final decisions.  

For the appraisal of applications, HM Treasury’s 5 Cases methodology will be followed to ensure that applications demonstrate the strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management case for investment. This will require applicants to:

  • Explain and evidence the Strategic Fit with the programme objectives
  • Explain and evidence the positive Impact the programme will have and explain how measurable outputs and outcomes will be achieved.
  • Provide an accurate and reasonable breakdown of programme costs
  • Explain how the programme will be deliverable in full within the timeframe
Requirements for successful applicants
  • Agree a schedule for payment of the grant that enables the programme to be delivered effectively.
  • Agree to data sharing protocols consistent with GDPR policy and the Privacy Policy of the Combined Authority
  • Adhere to Branding and Publicity guidelines which will be issued by the Combined Authority.
  • Participate in providing monthly monitoring information via emails and meetings; focused on the reporting of expenditure, outputs and outcomes.
  • Participate in Evaluation activities as required. This will be proportionate to the scale and scope of the programme. For larger programmes, there may be greater expectation on applicants (to provide case study material, to conduct surveys, to analyse value for money, etc.) over and above the reporting of outputs and outcomes.
  • Participate in networking meetings alongside other successful applicants to help capture and communicate impact, as required.
Additional Application Information - Spreadsheet

Please download and complete the following spreadsheet as part of your application.

Applicants will be prompted to upload the document in section 8 of the application.

 

Download Form

Click Here To Apply

Useful Documents