In 2022, the REC teamed up with Maximus, one of the country’s leading employment support specialists, who deliver the government’s Restart Scheme. Restart helps long term unemployed people find work, especially those impacted by the pandemic. It has proved a great match, with REC members working in collaboration with Maximus and JobCentre Plus, to give people a chance to get back into employment.
The REC has long advocated for more public and private partnership to get people working. This is essential if the government wants to reach its 80% employment target.
The number of placements so far in 2025 has been boosted by roles in warehouse, manufacturing, industrial, cleaning and construction. Recruiters in Leeds and London are proving particularly successful in making Restart placements with their clients this year, but the Restart Scheme is a nationwide success.
And with the new government looking to revamp the services open to people out of work, as part of its Get Britain Working plan, the success of REC’s partnership with Maximus on the Restart Scheme suggests it is a programme to learn from.
REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry said:
“Recruiters have risen to the challenge of giving talent a chance despite a tough economy in recent years – and its success means we can now set our targets even higher to hit 4,000 work placements by the end of 2025.
“This scheme shows the power of employers, recruiters and government working together. And we hope this scheme or one similar to it remains as the government looks to get people off welfare and into work.”
The Restart Scheme provides additional tailored support above what is available through JobCentre Plus, supporting participants into sustainable work. Research by DWP, published in May 2024, shows the Restart Scheme supported participants to achieve positive outcomes both in terms of sustainable employment and higher life satisfaction.
The REC has operated this partnership at no cost to its members and the candidates. This is by targeting funding from within its partnership with Maximus. Maximus has supported many more than 3,000 of the scheme’s participants into work but that is the number placed with REC members through the REC scheme.
The success of this partnership approach was marked globally in 2023 when the REC won a Leadership in Social Innovation award from the World Employment Confederation (WEC) for its Restart Scheme work with Maximus.
Gary Spann, Employer Services Director at Maximus, said:
“Our partnership with the REC has successfully supported thousands of jobseekers to find work, and crucially matched them to roles in sectors vital to the UK’s economic growth, from construction to manufacturing.
“By bringing the recruitment and employability sectors together, we’ve been able to unlock new opportunities for people furthest from the labour market and show the value of innovative cross-sector working.”
