![\"Sick](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sick-worker.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBritain is losing an estimated seven per cent of GDP every year due to workplace illness, according to a major review warning the country is “sliding into an avoidable crisis”.<\/p>\n
Sir Charlie Mayfield, the former John Lewis chief executive, said rising ill health and work absences pose a growing threat to economic growth and national prosperity.<\/p>\n
His review shows that 800,000 additional workers have left employment since 2019 because of health problems.<\/p>\n
Projections suggest an additional 600,000 could leave the workforce by 2030 without action.<\/p>\n
Sir Charlie described the situation as a “quiet but urgent crisis”, identifying ill health as a key driver of economic inactivity across the UK.<\/p>\n
He warned that without intervention, pressures on businesses, public services and household incomes will continue to intensify.<\/p>\n
The review estimates the annual cost to British businesses at \u00a385billion due to lost productivity.<\/p>\n
It also notes wider pressure on public spending, with welfare payments and NHS demands adding \u00a347billion a year.<\/p>\n
The number of economically inactive 16 to 34 year olds with mental health conditions rose by 190,000 between 2019 and 2024, a 76 per cent increase.<\/p>\n
Workplace illness is costing Britain around seven per cent of GDP annually, a major review has warned<\/p>\n
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GETTY<\/p>\n
Disabled workers face persistent barriers to employment, with only 53 per cent in work.<\/p>\n
The review concludes that this gap reduces participation and limits economic output.<\/p>\n
Sir Charlie also raised concerns about the current fit note system.<\/p>\n
He described fit notes as “often problematic”, arguing they can create distance between employers and employees and delay support.<\/p>\n
General practitioners issue most fit notes, but many lack specialist occupational health training.<\/p>\n
![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/john-lewis.jpg\")
The ex-John Lewis boss raised concerns about the current fit note system<\/p>\n
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The review found 93 per cent of fit notes in England state individuals are unfit for work, and many are extended without further medical assessment.<\/p>\n
Sir Charlie said that while supportive workplaces are vital, “so does personal responsibility”, warning that withdrawing from work can lead to “detachment and dependency”.<\/p>\n
The review proposes a fundamental overhaul of workplace health support.<\/p>\n
He recommends a new workplace health provision, offering non-clinical case management to help employees and employers manage health issues throughout the working lifecycle.<\/p>\n
He also suggests linking the system with the NHS App, reducing reliance on traditional fit notes and improving communication between employers, employees and health services.<\/p>\n
The approach aims to move from reacting to illness to early intervention and long-term support.<\/p>\n
The Government has recruited more than 60 major employers to trial the reforms, including the British Beer and Pub Association, Burger King, John Lewis and Google UK.<\/p>\n
The three-year programme will focus on mental health support, retaining older workers and improving employment opportunities for disabled people.<\/p>\n
![\"Pat](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pat-mcfadden.jpg\")
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden backed the findings<\/p>\n
| GB News<\/p>\n
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden backed the findings.<\/p>\n
He said the message was “crystal clear: keeping people healthy and in work is the right thing to do and is essential for economic growth”.<\/p>\n
Business Secretary Peter Kyle added: “Many more people could remain in work if they receive the right support.”<\/p>\n
He also claimed that partnership between Government and employers would be central to maintaining a productive workforce and boosting economic performance across the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Britain is losing an estimated seven per cent of GDP every year due to workplace illness, according to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":549975,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3090],"tags":[51,1700,1232,12,512,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-549974","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-economy","10":"tag-money","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-sgg","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115495317243122289","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=549974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/549975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=549974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=549974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=549974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}