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The Telegraph on plan for ‘Sick note crackdown’
Telegraph reporting that:
Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, will put getting people off out-of-work benefits and into employment at the heart of his Budget on March 15 ...
... with one idea under consideration, a new approach to how GPs decide whether people are too sick to work:
Doctors are to be told to sign fewer people off work with sick notes and instead help them to remain in employment under plans being considered for next month’s Budget ... Doctors would be encouraged to focus on recommending ways people with long-term illnesses can continue to work with support rather than using sick notes to authorise them to drop out of the labour market entirely.
Other ‘highlights’ -
- benefit claimants are set to be told they will have to complete intensive skills programmes or they will have their welfare payments slashed.
- more radical potential shake-ups, such as giving government-paid work coaches a more direct role in the sick notes system, are not expected to be adopted.
- Mel Stride is exploring other ideas to encourage people back into work - especially for those aged over 50
- one idea being looked at is putting work coaches in GP surgeries, with doctors able to refer older patients who express an interest in getting a job to them for advice.
- Mr Stride also wants to reach early retirees with financial advice, with many set to be told that they do not have enough cash to see them through life.
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/02/14/sick-note-crackdown-get-people-back-work/
Kites duly flown…..
This is a good little twitter thread on why this is such a stupid and pointless thing to announce.