A review led by a former John Lewis boss has been officially launched to see how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and businesses can work together to get disabled people and long-term sick into jobs. The UK Government’s ‘Keep Britain Working Review’, headed up by Sir Charlie Mayfield, was announced back in November and will look at what have been branded “spiralling levels of inactivity”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said people who claim long-term sickness benefits should be made to look for work if they are able to. The UK Government has vowed support to help people get jobs as ministers look to reduce the number of sickness benefits claimants.
The independent review is due to be completed by this Autumn but the UK Government said a first phase, involving Sir Charlie meeting businesses and health and disability organisations across the country, will be finished by Spring – when significant reforms to health and disability benefits are also expected to be published.
The DWP said Sir Charlie’s conversations with various groups will aim to “identify the scale, trends, obstacles and opportunities for companies when recruiting and retaining ill and disabled people.
His recommendations to the UK Government are expected later this year.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall warned the benefits bill for sickness and disability is set to rise “by £26 billion by the end of this Parliament” as she announced plans before Christmas to overhaul the welfare system.
Long-term sickness has been a major driver in joblessness since the pandemic and one of Labour’s pre-election promises was to increase the employment rate to 80 per cent from around 75 per cent, which would mean around two million more people in work.
Sir Charlie said: “Losing people from the workforce because of ill-health or disability is bad for many of the individuals, for the businesses employing them, and for the wider economy.
“It’s a growing problem for us all and it’s one that’s more likely to be resolved by business and government working together.
“I’m looking forward to engaging closely with businesses, government departments and the many organisations committed to improving our performance here.”
DWP described the challenge facing the UK Government as “stark”, as more than a third of working-age people report a long-term health condition and around a quarter are classed as disabled.
The disabled group are three times more likely to be not in work or looking for work, the department said.
Ms Kendall said: “Millions of people have been left without support to get into work and on at work, and completely held back from reaching their potential for far too long, and the record-high cost of long-term sickness benefits is evidence of that fact.
“That’s why I am pleased to have Sir Charlie leading this review, bringing a wealth of experience and helping us to get people into work, and most importantly keep them in work, so we can boost living standards and get our economy growing.”
As part of the plan, Jobcentre’s are to change their focus from monitoring and managing benefit claims to skills and careers, mental health support will be expanded to reduce waiting lists in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity, and mayors south of the border will be empowered to join up local work, health and skills support to tackle the root causes of inactivity in their areas.