Govt announces new work help

Tue 25 Nov 2008

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced new initiatives to get people back into work.

Its package comes in response to Dame Carol Black's report on the health of UK's working population, published in March.

The DWP hopes its new electronic 'fit-note' and a pilot of its Fit for Work services will help improve workplace efficiency.

Health secretary Alan Johnson said: "Poor health can prevent people fulfilling their potential, leaving them more likely to slip into poverty and social exclusion."

According to work and pensions secretary James Purnell, it is now more important to help people who are sick stay in work.

"Everyone has the right to work and we want to design a fair system which supports people so they can work when they are able," he added.

Further proposals from the government include health, work and well-being coordinators, an occupational health scheme for small businesses and a challenge fund to encourage local initiatives.

According to the Daily Mail, one-in-eight workers called in sick this January after a winter bug spread across the UK.

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