
![]() |
Mark Sennett
Managing Editor |
![]() |
Kelly Rose
Editor |
ARTICLE
Call for end to long-term sickness absence
23 January 2013
The Government has called for a review of the sickness absence system in Great Britain in order to help combat the £100 billion that working age ill health costs the economy every year...
The Government has called for a review of the sickness absence system in Great Britain in order to help combat the £100 billion that working age ill health costs the economy every year.
The independent review, jointly chaired by David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce and Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, will explore new ways on how the current system can be changed to help more people stay in work and reduce costs.
Under the current system employers bear the costs of short term sickness with the State, and ultimately the taxpayer, absorbing the cost of longer-term ill-health, with over 300,000 people leaving work to claim sickness-related benefits each year - making up around half the total flow on to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
The review, which is jointly sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, will include a panel of experts from business, trade unions and health representatives and will be conducted in the context of the Growth Agenda.
The independent review, jointly chaired by David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce and Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, will explore new ways on how the current system can be changed to help more people stay in work and reduce costs.
Under the current system employers bear the costs of short term sickness with the State, and ultimately the taxpayer, absorbing the cost of longer-term ill-health, with over 300,000 people leaving work to claim sickness-related benefits each year - making up around half the total flow on to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
The review, which is jointly sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, will include a panel of experts from business, trade unions and health representatives and will be conducted in the context of the Growth Agenda.
MORE FROM THIS COMPANY
- Digital events hailed an 'overwhelming success'
- Farmer and haulier fined for tipping waste
- Bakery fined after worker amputates hand
- Two-thirds of employees stressed by work
- Untrained worker's fatal fall from tree
- Research reveals barriers to adopting mobile EHS applications
- The impact of poor maintenance on health and safety
- Risky business
- Motorsport engineering firm fined for failings
- Fine after child injured on farm
RELATED ARTICLES
- No related articles listed
OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS SECTION