Greater Manchester is set to pioneer a 'radical new approach' to reforming benefits.

The plan aims to support the government's 'Get Britain Working' mission by helping 150,000 residents back into employment over the next five years.

The initiative, 'Live Well', seeks to overhaul employment support by routing funding through local community and voluntary groups, the NHS, skills training providers, Jobcentre Plus, and social prescribing services.

This approach aims to help individuals live healthier lives while guiding them back into the workforce.

Each neighbourhood will have a local Live Well service, offering support to boost confidence and set people on the path to employment.

The Live Well centres will bring together health services, social prescribers, skills and employment support, and housing advice under one roof.

Services such as GP surgeries, Jobcentre Plus, and community hubs will have the ability to refer individuals to their local centre.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has expressed his willingness to assist the government in its mission to 'Get Britain Working' by introducing this new way of supporting residents into employment.

He has requested new devolved control over employment support funding, allowing Greater Manchester to become the test bed for this 'radical new approach'.

Mr Burnham said: "The current welfare system is based on distrust and too often leaves people feeling worse about themselves and further away from work.

"Live Well will build self-esteem and get people ready to move into work.

"Here in Greater Manchester, our economy is growing faster than the UK average.

"There are high-quality jobs here, but many people struggle to access them because they are weighed down by worries, health problems, financial barriers, and insecure housing."

Live Well centres aim to tackle the root causes of worklessness by providing positive, tailored support to enhance confidence, well-being, and skills.

This initiative is expected to reduce welfare spending, ease pressure on the NHS, and contribute to economic growth.

Research indicates that 'helping people overcome the barriers holding them back could get 150,000 people in Greater Manchester into employment over the next five years.'

Mr Burnham added: "By providing wraparound support to tackling the everyday issues holding our residents back, we can transform their lives and help them enjoy the stability, dignity, and sense of community that comes with a decent job.

"The Government is rightly taking a more preventative approach to health and unemployment.

"The Secretary of State has talked about the importance of joining up support for work, health, and skills to tackle the root causes of worklessness and here in Greater Manchester, we're ready to make that vision a reality."

Greater Manchester has already 'proved the effectiveness of positive and personalised support', focusing on mental health and offering practical help.

Nationally, 2.8 million people are inactive due to long-term sickness, accounting for 7 per cent of the working-age population.

This is an increase of 800,000 on pre-pandemic levels, with most of the rise attributed to mental health conditions.

In Greater Manchester, around 80,000 individuals struggle to find employment due to long-term sickness, while a further 75,700 are currently unemployed and seeking work.

The mayor's proposals are part of a broader 'Live Well philosophy' aimed at tackling health and economic inequality by 'empowering residents towards good health' and securing decent employment.