Sunak – measures to end sick note culture

Sunak – measures to end sick note culture

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls for an end to the UK’s “sick note culture” in a speech on welfare reform.

PM: work is good for people’s mental health. Need to be more objective. Clamping down on people who maybe playing the system

Mr Sunak considering moving responsibility for assessing fitness to work away from GPs.  This to “specialist work and health professionals” in England.

A record high of 2.8m people are out of work as of February 2024.  This according to the Office for National Statistics.

Labour says the government “run out of ideas” and failed to deliver a healthy nation or economy.

In this speech Sunak announced plans to overhaul the benefits system. The prime minister says the focus must shift away.  This from what people cannot do to what work people might be able to do.

“We don’t just need to change the sick note.  We need to change the sick note culture so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t,” Mr Sunak is expected to say.

Opposition parties say changes to sick notes – officially known as fit notes – announced previously by the government.

The government said NHS data showed almost 11m fit notes were issued last year in England.  94% signed “not fit for work”.

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