British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Friday that the government plans to introduce stricter regulations for long-term sick leave. This initiative aims to address the growing number of Britons permanently exiting the workforce.
The participation of working-age Britons in the labor force is currently at its lowest level since 2015. This decline is primarily attributed to an increase in long-term illness and a higher number of students.
In contrast, other large and wealthy nations have experienced an uptick in workforce participation since 2020.
Addressing the “Sicknote Culture” in the UK: Rishi Sunak’s Agenda
Rishi Sunak, eyeing an upcoming national election where polls predict his party’s defeat, aims to win over core Conservative voters by addressing the unsustainable welfare bill and advocating for a shift in the “sicknote culture” surrounding mental health.
Speaking in London, Sunak emphasized the need for more proactive measures to assist people in returning to work and cautioned against over-medicalizing everyday challenges.
If re-elected, Sunak plans to push for further welfare reforms, including treating benefit fraud akin to tax fraud.
Official data reveals that 9.4 million Britons aged 16 to 64 are neither working nor unemployed, with 2.8 million being long-term sick and 206,000 temporarily ill.
The Labour Party, leading in the polls, criticizes the Conservatives for neglecting healthcare and economic health, proposing policies to address underlying issues and reduce healthcare waiting lists.
Sunak highlights that many long-term sick individuals cite mental health issues as a secondary condition and urges a shift from issuing repeat sick notes to offer tailored support for a return to work.
He advocates for healthcare workers to provide objective assessments of individuals’ work capability and tailored support for their reintegration into the workforce, emphasizing a culture shift towards focusing on what work individuals can do rather than what they can’t.
