The UK government's flagship back-to-work scheme for the long-term sick missed its first-year recruitment target by a wide margin, prompting ministers to lower the goal.

Labour's £1.2billion Connect to Work scheme, launched in November 2024, recruited only 13,900 people in its first year against an original target of 33,623, missing even the reduced goal of 17,954 after ministers cut the target five days before year-end citing 'optimism bias'.