The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a major new initiative aimed at tackling the UK's high rate of long-term sickness, which currently sees more than 2.8 million people signed off work. The plan focuses on providing free, specialised training to line managers and small business owners to help them better support employee health.
New Support for Small Businesses and Managers
Under the new scheme, the Labour government is rolling out health training for 5,000 line managers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The core objective is to equip these businesses with the practical tools needed to support staff with health conditions, thereby helping them to retain skilled employees and boost overall productivity.
This move is a direct response to what the government describes as an "inherited issue" of one of the highest rates of long-term sickness in the G7. Instead of individuals dropping out of work to claim benefits, the emphasis is now on providing proactive support to help them remain in employment.
Minister and Industry Backing
Labour's Minister for Employment, Dame Diana Johnson, stated that small businesses often lack the resources to support staff facing health challenges. "Too often, small businesses lose skilled staff to health issues without the tools to support them - and that doesn’t help anyone," she said.
"This free training changes that. It gives line managers the confidence to have the right conversations and make the adjustments that could help keep people in work. When small businesses support their staff to stay at work healthy, everyone wins - employees, businesses, and our economy."
The policy has been welcomed by business groups. Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: "We are pleased to see DWP devoting funds to upskilling SMEs on occupational health issues for their staff." She noted that such training is often out of reach for smaller firms facing cost pressures, making this government-funded intervention crucial.
Positive Feedback from Early Participants
The training programme has already received positive feedback from those who have completed it. David Tomlinson, Health and Safety Business Partner at the University of Lincoln, participated in the course.
"I really enjoyed this course. It provided valuable insight into what can be a challenging issue for us as an employer," Tomlinson said. "And it’s given us greater confidence to help us shape our approach to occupational health and wellbeing at work."
The initiative, announced on 29 December 2025, represents a significant shift in strategy for the DWP, focusing on prevention and in-work support to address the growing economic inactivity due to illness.
