Efforts to address economic inactivity in the UK<\/strong> are gaining momentum as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)<\/strong> launches a major review into supporting disabled individuals<\/strong> and those with long-term illnesses<\/strong> in securing employment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spearheaded by former John Lewis executive Sir Charlie Mayfield<\/strong>, the initiative aims to foster collaboration<\/strong> between the government<\/strong> and businesses<\/strong> to improve employment opportunities. The review marks a critical step in reshaping welfare systems<\/strong> and tackling growing economic challenges<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UK government<\/strong> is facing mounting pressure to address the rise in economic inactivity<\/strong> driven by long-term illness<\/strong> and disability<\/strong>. With significant numbers of working-age individuals<\/strong> unable to participate in the labor market, the ripple effects are being felt across businesses<\/strong>, communities<\/strong>, and the economy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By targeting the root causes of this issue, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)<\/strong> seeks to unlock potential, create more inclusive workplaces<\/strong>, and curb the unsustainable rise in welfare costs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UK<\/strong> faces rising levels of economic inactivity<\/strong>, with millions of working-age adults<\/strong> unable to participate in the labor market due to health challenges<\/strong> or disabilities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This trend poses significant challenges to businesses<\/strong>, the economy<\/strong>, and individuals’ livelihoods. Without intervention, the costs of benefits for sickness<\/strong> and disability<\/strong> are projected to grow by \u00a326 billion<\/strong> by the end of the current Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DWP\u2019s initiative<\/strong>, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield<\/a><\/strong>, is designed to deliver actionable insights into how businesses<\/strong> and government<\/strong> can create a more inclusive workforce<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key objectives include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government’s strategy<\/strong> to address workforce inactivity<\/strong> hinges on fostering both systemic and localised solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By revamping existing institutions and programs, such as Jobcentres<\/strong>, and enhancing mental health support<\/strong>, the initiative aims to build a bridge between unemployed individuals and sustainable career opportunities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These efforts are complemented by empowering regional authorities<\/strong> and collaborating with businesses<\/strong> to ensure a comprehensive approach to economic inclusion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government<\/strong> is reimagining the role of Jobcentres<\/strong>, transitioning their focus from benefit management<\/strong> to career development<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayors in southern England<\/strong> will receive increased autonomy to :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sir Charlie Mayfield<\/strong> is engaging with employers<\/strong> and health organisations<\/strong> to understand the challenges and opportunities in employing disabled individuals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The review\u2019s findings could significantly impact the UK\u2019s labor market<\/strong> by addressing systemic barriers that have excluded millions from gainful employment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experts suggest that a more inclusive labor market<\/strong> could lead to higher productivity<\/strong> and reduced reliance on public welfare systems<\/strong>, alleviating pressure on government budgets<\/strong>. Achieving this requires cohesive action and long-term commitment from all stakeholders.s requires cohesive action and long-term commitment from all stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increasing workforce participation among disabled individuals<\/strong> and those with long-term illnesses<\/strong> is not only a moral imperative<\/strong> but also an economic necessity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sir Charlie Mayfield<\/strong> emphasised the collective responsibility in tackling this issue:
\u201cLosing people from the workforce<\/strong> due to ill-health or disability<\/strong> is a problem for individuals<\/strong>, businesses<\/strong>, and the wider economy<\/strong>. This requires joint efforts by government<\/strong> and industry<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall<\/strong> also highlighted the urgency of these reforms:
\u201cMillions have been left unsupported in realising their potential<\/strong>, and the record-high cost of long-term sickness benefits<\/strong> underscores the need for change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ‘Keep Britain Working Review’<\/strong> underscores the pressing need for cohesive action to address the rising tide of economic inactivity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DWP is driving initiatives to integrate disabled individuals and those with long-term illnesses into the workforce, aiming to boost economic participation and productivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":102701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-welfare","category-employment","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102689"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102689\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102706,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102689\/revisions\/102706"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}