A major report has called on the government to offer more support to employees with health problems in order to help them stay in work — a major rethink on the current strategy which provides benefits to those who have left the workforce.
These recommendations come from The Commission for Healthier Working Lives, set up by the Health Foundation, after a nine-month study.
The report is published as minister discuss potential cuts to the welfare budget, with the axe expected to fall on sickness and disability benefits in the forthcoming Spring Statement.
The Commission recommend that the Government reviews statutory sick pay, rolls out a caseworker-led service to offer independent advise to employers, advocacy for workers and referrals for wider support, while also introducing a state vocational rehabilitation benefit alongside reforming universal credit.
The report also highlights the bigger role that group income protection can play in ensuring more employers have access to vocational rehabilitation for their employees.
The report argues this more proactive approach could keep at least 100,000 more people in work, benefitting the Government ‘growth’ agenda, reducing the benefits bill and helping to support a healthier UK population. It also suggest reforms could be targeted on priority sectors, such as health and social care, transport and education.
Recent figures suggest that 8.2m people — 20 per cent of the working age population — now report a long-term health conditions that limits their ability to work, a figure that has increased significantly over the past decade.
This report was welcomed by many in the group risk sector. Aviva says it has actively engaged with the commission and provided evidence to the Health Foundation on keeping employees healthy and helping them return to work.
Aviva Group Protection sales and distribution director Jason Ellis says: “There are a lot of positives to take from this report. The recommendations are not only welcome but also timely as the Government undertakes its Keep Britain Working Review.
“The report is a valuable contribution, highlighting the key role employers play and areas they could improve on and strongly endorsing the vocational rehabilitation model that insurers use alongside group income protection.
“The report recommends that the Government should play a convening role in identifying and promoting best practice in workplace health.
“We believe that large employers should be transparent about their workplace health offer and for smaller employers there should be a national ‘Health at Work’ standard and better access to guidance on best practice. This would improve standards in workplace health by making it open-source and competitive for larger employers, and for smaller employers by providing a benchmark they can aim for with appropriate support.
“This has been a key Aviva policy recommendation, so it is positive to see the Health Foundation recommend more corporate transparency.”
