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The UK is “sliding into an avoidable crisis”, the author of a major review on how to keep people in work has warned as he urged a reduced reliance on fit notes amid an “enormous” cost to employers from ill health among workers.
Former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield’s report found that poor workplace health costs UK employers around £85 billion a year.
It also warned that Britons being unable to work due to ill health is costing the country around 7% of GDP (gross domestic product).
Sir Charlie said there is “broad recognition that Britain is facing a quiet but urgent crisis”, with ill health now one of the biggest drivers of economic inactivity in the UK.
His review, published on Wednesday, told of a culture of fear among workers around ill health, a lack of an effective or consistent support system for employers and e
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