The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) recently announced its intention to extend a pilot programme which aims to support people with mental health problems in the workplace. The pilot programme, run in conjunction with the mental health charity Mind, has demonstrated a 90% success rate in helping people remain in employment.

Jim Knight, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform, announced that the Government was now looking to extend the support, with an expectation of rolling it out nationally with a range of providers. Making the announcement, the Minister said: "I know disabled people dearly want to stay in work and their employers want to do everything they can to keep good staff. Our plans to offer the right help early on can end the downward spiral of people falling out of work into sick leave, and onto benefits. We are all agreed that helping people stay in work is good news for them, their bosses and for the taxpayer."

Sophie Corlett, Mind's Director of External Relations, said: "If employers put their mind to it and provide the right support they can keep their staff mentally well and fit for the workplace. People with mental health problems want to work but are often failed by employers who lack the understanding or the skills to provide the necessary support. We welcome the Government's increased investment in mental health, particularly during these difficult economic times, when now more than ever people need the support and understanding of their employers."

The Government also announced that it would be doubling the Access to Work fund, from £69m to £138m, over the next five years. This support, available through JobCentre Plus, provides practical advice and financial support to disabled people and their employers to help them overcome work-related obstacles resulting from disability.

Additionally, the first ever National Strategy for Mental Health and Employment is due to be published in the autumn of 2009.