For anyone rebuilding their life in supported living, the idea of getting back into work often represents more than securing a pay slip. It can signal a return to structure as work offers routine, connection, and the chance to take back control, all of which play a meaningful role in recovery. This article looks at how supported living services can open up genuine pathways into employment, the approaches that make the biggest difference, and the positive impact this has not only on individuals but on communities, employers, and the wider social care landscape.
Work plays a significant role beyond financial reward, especially for adults in supported living or mental health services. First, there are strong psychological benefits. Having a job can boost self-esteem, reduce feelings of purposelessness, and provide a sense of belonging and identity. Many people find that routine, structure and meaningful activity support overall well-being and stability.
There are also important social benefits. Work provides opportunities to connect with colleagues, build relationships, and expand social networks, which are valuable factors in reducing isolation and loneliness. For people in supported living, these connections can bridge gaps created by isolation or social withdrawal.
Economically, employment offers independence and personal choice as gaining a steady or part-time income can increase autonomy and reduce reliance on benefits. This economic empowerment can reinforce the gains from supported living and recovery.
On a broader scale, supporting employment for people with mental health needs, especially those in supported living, helps to challenge stigma. It highlights potential and shifts societal assumptions about what people with mental health issues or disabilities can achieve when given the right support and environment. As outlined by a report from the Mental Health Foundation, secure, stable and supportive employment protects and promotes positive mental health and can be a key part of tackling inequalities.
Despite the clear benefits, many people in supported living face considerable hurdles on the road to work. One major problem is stigma and discrimination as employers, or recruitment processes themselves, may hold unconscious bias against people with mental health or disability backgrounds. This can deter hiring, even when the individual has the skills and will to work.
Another challenge is gaps in employment history. Periods out of work can lead to self-doubt or make people less competitive for roles. For someone in recovery or supported living, explaining or overcoming these gaps can feel daunting.
Mental health itself, including fluctuating conditions or ongoing recovery needs, can pose barriers. Some people may need flexibility, adjustments, or accommodations at work, which aren’t always offered. Others may struggle with confidence, or lack up-to-date skills or workplace-relevant training.
Practical issues like transport difficulties, uncertain daily functioning, limited access to training, or absence of supportive infrastructure can also pose real obstacles. For people with disabilities or mental health needs, such challenges make entering or re-entering the workforce significantly more complex than for the general population.
Supported living services, when designed and delivered effectively, can provide a strong foundation for employment pathways. One key aspect is building structure and daily routines. For many, moving from unstructured time or isolation toward a more stable, predictable routine can help re-establish habits like punctuality, self-care and time-management, which are all valuable in work settings.
Supported living can also offer safe spaces to practise and develop skills such as communication, teamwork, reliability, and interpersonal interaction. These soft skills may have been eroded or underused during periods of illness or instability, but supported living can help rebuild them gently.
Collaborative care is another strength: staff, key workers, and families can support vocational goals alongside recovery and well-being. This network may provide encouragement, stability, and feedback, helping individuals work out what kind of employment suits them.
Importantly, person-centred planning can align employment opportunities with personal interests, strengths, and aspirations. Recognising that “one size doesn’t fit all,” this tailored approach ensures roles or pathways that reflect an individual’s capacity, preferences, and ambitions, offering a realistic, sustainable route into employment rather than a one-off job placement.
One of the most effective models bridging supported living, mental health services, and employment is NHS Talking Therapies Programme. In 2024/25, almost 70,000 people with mental health issues began receiving employment advice through this programme, a 62% increase compared with the previous year.
The support includes linking individuals to employment advisers who can help with job seeking, CV writing, interview preparation, and advice around reasonable adjustments in the workplace. Completing talking therapy, when paired with employment support, has shown a measurable impact. For people who were unemployed but seeking work at the time of referral, the chance of becoming a paid employee increased following treatment.
Beyond therapy-linked programmes, broader structural data emphasises the scale of the issue and the potential impact of inclusion. According to the most recent figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Office for National Statistics (ONS), as of Q2 2025, nearly one in four working-age people in the UK (about 10.4 million) are classed as disabled, a rise driven in large part by increased reporting of mental health and “other” health conditions.
In the same quarter, the “disability employment rate”, the proportion of disabled people in work, was 52.8%, compared with 82.5% for non-disabled people. Disabled people with a mental health condition (or multiple health conditions) tend to have lower employment rates than average among disabled people. Moreover, among the disabled people currently in work, nearly a third (about 31%) are employed part-time.
These figures underline both the potential and unmet need for vocational support: there is a substantial population of working-age adults with disabilities (many with mental health conditions) whose employment rates remain significantly lower than non-disabled peers. Effective supported-employment pathways could therefore make a considerable difference, both to individuals and to the wider labour market.
For these pathways to work sustainably, employers need to play their part. Reasonable adjustments and flexible working are often essential. For example, adjustments might include modified hours, a gradual increase of responsibilities, options for hybrid working, or allowing sensitivity around mental health needs.
Training and awareness for managers about the needs and potential of supported employees can also help. When employers understand mental health, disability rights, and the value of supported employment, they’re better placed to create an inclusive environment. Support from employment specialists working alongside employers can ease that process. In the case of NHS-linked employment advisers, they often engage with employers on behalf of candidates to explore suitable opportunities and build supportive relationships.
Employers also benefit from a more diverse workforce. Bringing in people with lived experience of mental health challenges or supported living creates empathy and offers different perspectives, contributing not just to corporate social responsibility but to team morale, retention, and workplace culture. After all, inclusive workplaces tend to have higher engagement and loyalty.
Supported living can be a springboard for personal growth and meaningful employment, and for many adults with mental health needs, employment is a crucial step in recovery, social inclusion, and rebuilding a life with purpose.
When supported living providers, social care teams, employment specialists, employers, and policymakers work together, they can create real pathways back into work, pathways that respect individual needs, build confidence, and offer long-term, sustainable inclusion.
Want to see an employment success story from Northern Healthcare? Read about Dave at Montgomery House who secured paid work as part of his personal, team-assisted goals.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/nhs-supports-thousands-more-people-back-into-work/
https://thedisabilitypolicycentre.org/disabled-employment-gap
