A landmark government review urges employers to spend £6 billion a year supporting staff to tackle Britain’s health-related worklessness crisis, writes Peter Brown.
Charlie Mayfield’s pre-budget report warns that businesses must play a central role in addressing rising ill-health driving millions out of work.
The former John Lewis chair, appointed to lead the government’s Keep Britain Working review, called for a major expansion of occupational health to prevent hundreds of thousands from leaving the workforce each year.
Head of Skills Policy Bethany Windsor said: “Logistics UK welcomes the Keep Britain Working Review and its recognition of the urgent need to tackle health-related economic inactivity.
“With over 2.8 million working-age people out of the labour market due to ill-health, and the logistics sector facing acute workforce shortages, we support the call for a new partnership between employers, government and employees. We look forward to working with DWP to ensure that the unique needs of the logistics workforce are fully reflected in the next phase of reform.”
Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, water and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.
