Unemployed depressed Brits to be prescribed a job under new plan to slash benefits bill

Depressed and anxious Brits will be prescribed a job under a new government initiative to slash the benefits bill. New guidance issued to allied health professionals encourages them to tell patients that working is good for their mental health and to effectively prescribe a job as a form of treatment.

In a statement following the release, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said employment is “just as vital” as diet and exercise for good health. Professionals, including therapists and physiotherapists, have been told to include discussions about employment and its benefits in assessments with patients, who may be claiming sickness benefits.

The guidance also recommends professionals ask patients what job they do, whether it impacts their health, and what could help them stay in the job.

If their patient is out of work, the guidelines suggest asking the patient what job they would like to do and discussing how to overcome any barriers.

Medical professionals will have access to statistics about how being on sickness benefits can lead to significantly worse outcomes.

According to figures issued last week, 93% of sick notes issued by doctors say the patient is not fit for work, while 7% say they may be able to do so. Wes Streeting says this guidance will focus on what patients can do, rather than can’t.

Mr Streeting told The Telegraph: “Staying in a job you love or finding work that gives you purpose is just as vital to your health as eating well and staying active.

“Millions of people are trapped in a system that writes them off instead of supporting them – this Government is shifting the narrative from ‘you can’t’ to ‘how can we help you?’”

He said “preventing illness and keeping people in work is central to building an NHS  fit for the future, and strengthening our economy”, so the guidance will help front-line staff get patients personalised support as early as possible.

Mr Streeting urged that any person who returns or stays in work will transform their life, contribute to communities, and help build a healthier, more prosperous nation “we all want to see”.

According to the latest figures, more than 2.8 million working-age people are economically inactive due to long-term sickness, an increase of 800,000 since just before the pandemic.

Official projections show that if the current rate of increase continues, the bill for sickness and disability benefits will rise over £100 billion annually by the end of the decade.

The guidance said it wants people to have access to holistic support, to reduce health disparities and “avoid the negative health impacts associated with being unemployed”.