Britain’s economy sees hidden growth as sickness absence is tackled

What's happened

Former John Lewis chair Sir Charlie Mayfield leads a taskforce to cut sickness absence, arguing that reducing ill-health-related unemployment could unlock significant growth. More than 250 major employers have signed up, aiming to track absence, return-to-work outcomes, and disability participation to reveal health performance in workplaces.

What's behind the headline?

What’s changing and why it matters

• Sir Charlie Mayfield is leading a broad coalition to tackle sickness absence, aiming to unlock growth hidden in plain sight.
• Employers are signing up to track return-to-work outcomes, which could change welfare dynamics and labour supply.
• The plan aligns with broader fiscal goals to reduce welfare costs while expanding employment for people with illnesses.

Potential impact

• If successful, the programme could lower long-term welfare expenditure and increase labour participation, boosting GDP.
• Businesses may need to invest in health and disability support programs, affecting cost structures in the short term.

Risks and uncertainties

• Critics warn against pushing ill people back to work before adequate support is in place; implementation risk remains high.
• The scale of participation and the accuracy of tracking will determine effectiveness.

How we got here

Get Britain Working was formed to reduce long-term sickness absence and boost productivity. It involves major employers and public bodies, aiming to make workplace health metrics visible and reduce the welfare bill by enabling more people to remain in or return to work.

Our analysis

BBC News reports on the Get Britain Working initiative and its signatories; Guardian coverage highlights the broader debate on welfare costs and labour participation; Public data shows the government’s interest in reducing sickness-related unemployment and its budget implications.

Go deeper

• Could this approach reduce the welfare bill quickly or will it take years?
• What programmes are in place to support employees returning after illness?
• Which companies are leading participation and what are the measurable targets?

More on these topics

• Manchester - City in England

  Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 547,627 as of 2018. It lies within the United Kingdom's second-most populous urban area, with a population of 2.5 million and third-most populous metropol

• London - Capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom

  London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River...

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.