U.K. Government Tackles “Sicknote Culture” in Bid to Boost Employment

In a bid to tackle rising health-related work absences and boost employment, the U.K. government has announced plans to overhaul the “fit note” system and address what Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls a “sicknote culture.” 

The government’s concern stems from the high increase in health-related work absences post-pandemic, with the number of economically inactive individuals rising from 2 million to 2.8 million. Mental health professionals attribute this rise to factors including pandemic stress, social media, and insufficient mental health services. 

According to a report published lasy year by The Chartered Institute for Professional Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth, workplace absences in the U.K. have reached their highest levels in over a decade.  

The study’s results, as featured in The Independent, analyzed sickness absence and employee health across 918 organizations representing 6.5 million employees. The study found that staff were absent for an average of 7.8 days in the past year. This is a significant increase from the pre-pandemic rate of 5.8 days.   

According to a report published by The Guardian, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride stated on Friday that 94% of individuals signed-off by their general practitioner (GP) with minor mental health problems are labeled as “unfit to work,” contributing to the sicknote culture.  

Sunak is reportedly planning to revise the fit note system established in 2010 by Labour — hoping to lessen GP dependability and promote specialist assessments of work capability. The government’s new initiative, called “Work Well,” is an effort to provide individuals with both healthcare support and a work coach to help them stay in or return to work.  

As the U.K. looks to the future of work, addressing the challenges posed by rising mental health-related absences and the perceived over-medicalization of minor mental health issues will be a challenge in ensuring a thriving and productive workforce.