Workers were more likely to claim benefits three years after receiving employment support
Workers struggling with anxiety or depression were more likely to be claiming benefits after receiving help from Government job coaches, new figures reveal.
The surprising finding comes despite the support being designed to help people stay in or find work.
Those who received employment support alongside NHS talking therapies had a 4.2 percentage point higher probability of receiving benefits than similar workers who received therapy alone, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
NHS talking therapies help people with common mental health conditions, particularly anxiety and depression.
People using the service can also receive voluntary support from Employment Advisors, who help those struggling to stay in work, return to work or find a job.
However, the results were very different for people who were already out of work.
Those who received employment support alongside therapy had a 2.7 percentage point lower probability of receiving any benefits three years later compared with the expected change from therapy alone.
Among people who were out of work with a long-term illness or disability, the probability of receiving Universal Credit or employment support benefits was 3.2 percentage points lower after three years.
However, the same group was 2.4 percentage points more likely to be receiving disability benefits.
The ONS said this may reflect underlying health conditions that are unlikely to be affected by psychological therapy, particularly as some disability benefits are not means-tested.
The statistics body cautioned that its findings do not necessarily mean Employment Advisor support itself caused the differences in benefit claims.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "For those in work, some of the differences found in the data may reflect who took up support, rather than how effective the service was.
"This is precisely why employment advisers are embedded in NHS talking therapies: to identify and support people whose mental health is already affecting their ability to stay in work and to help them access the right support."
Previous ONS research examining the same group of participants also found different employment outcomes among workers experiencing stress, depression or anxiety who received support from job coaches.
Those receiving employment support were less likely to remain in employment, while those who were still working typically earned £104 less each month.
The ONS said the findings suggested people could be "moving to lower-paying jobs or reducing their working hours".
The latest research covered adults aged 18 to 65 in England who received Employment Advisor support alongside NHS talking therapies between April 2018 and March 2023.
Those included had attended at least one Employment Advisor session and at least two psychological therapy sessions.
The findings come as the number of people receiving benefits linked to mental health conditions continues to rise.
More than 100 people a day are being awarded benefits linked to stress, anxiety and depression, with payments worth up to £10,000 a year.
Most health-related Universal Credit claims are also linked to mental health conditions.
More than half of disability benefit claims are now tied to mental health conditions, while around one in six people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) have a condition linked to anxiety, stress or depression.
A further one in 11 claimants receive support linked to autism or ADHD.
