Commission for Healthier Working Lives warns against cutting benefits and calls for proactive route for 8m affectedProviding more support for people in ill health to stay in work could save the UK government more than £1bn, according to a report warning ministers against cutting benefits.As the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, looks for savings before the 26 March spring statement, the cross-sector Commission for Healthier Working Lives has called for a new approach to supporting the 8 million people in Britain with a work-limiting health condition. Continue reading...
A report from the Commission for Healthier Working Lives suggests increased support for people with health conditions to remain employed could save the UK £1.1 billion over five years. The commission advocates for a proactive approach and warns against benefit cuts. TUC research indicates work-related ill health has caused a 33% increase in lost workdays since 2010, costing the UK economy over £400 million weekly. The Commission recommends a new "back to work offer," a vocational rehabilitation benefit, a review of statutory sick pay, and caseworker-led services. The government is expected to publish welfare reform plans amid internal debate regarding reinvesting savings into back-to-work programs versus broader fiscal goals.
