Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of the UK, has unveiled his plans to address what he refers to as the country’s “sick note culture.” Sunak aims to strip General Practitioners (GPs) of their authority to sign individuals off work as part of his strategy.
He argues that benefits have become a “lifestyle choice” for some, leading to an escalating welfare bill. If the Conservative Party wins the general election, Sunak proposes that “specialist work and health professionals” will take over the responsibility of issuing sick notes in England.
The Labour Party has criticized the government, claiming that they have “run out of ideas.” Disability charities have also expressed anger towards Sunak’s speech, with Scope branding the plans as “a full-on assault on disabled people.”
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Scope suggests that the proposals are driven by cost reduction rather than genuine support for disabled individuals.
In his speech, Sunak highlighted the concerning proportion of young potential workers who are currently unemployed. As of February 2024, there is a record high of 2.8 million people out of work in the UK.
Sunak expressed his concern for this generation, stating that it is not compassionate to leave them isolated and watch their dreams disappear.
If the Conservatives win the general election, Sunak announced that individuals who remain unemployed for more than 12 months, despite receiving support from a work coach, will have their benefits completely removed.
He defended his plans against claims of lacking compassion, emphasizing that there will still be a safety net for those who genuinely require it. However, he stressed the need to shift the focus from what individuals can’t do to what work they can do, to change the sick note culture.
Sunak argued that it would be irresponsible not to take action, citing the forecasted increase of over 50% in the £17.6 billion Personal Independence Payments (PIP) bill over the next four years.
As part of the proposed changes, Sunak intends to introduce more objective assessments, claiming that subjective and unverifiable claims about capability undermine the current system.
The government plans to launch a consultation on strengthening the eligibility criteria for PIP. This will involve demanding greater medical evidence regarding the type and severity of mental health conditions.
Rishi Sunak believes these changes will make the system fairer and more difficult to exploit. He also suggested that access to treatment, such as talking therapies or respite care, could replace PIP bank transfers.
However, Sunak did not provide specific details about which specialist professionals would be responsible for issuing fit notes, nor whether they would need to be recruited. Disability charity Sense’s Chief Executive, Richard Kramer, criticized the speech, describing it as “unbelievably damaging and unhelpful.”
Kramer argued that it falsely portrays disabled people as shirkers when many are eager to work but face obstacles such as negative attitudes, unfair recruiting practices, and lack of support and equipment.
NHS data reveals that nearly 11 million fit notes were issued in England last year, with 94% of them stating that the individual was not fit for work.
To gain insight into how the current process works and how it can be improved, the government will publish a call for evidence on Friday. They are seeking responses from healthcare professionals, employers, and individuals with lived experiences.
Labour leader Keir Starmer described the Prime Minister’s announcement as a “reheated version” of a policy announced by former PM Theresa May in 2017.
Starmer emphasized Labour’s focus on addressing the issue of helping people return to work and criticized the government for neglecting the NHS, which has led to increased waiting lists.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey labelled the speech as “desperate” and highlighted the challenges faced by millions who cannot access NHS hospitals, GPs, and mental health support.
Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer stated that the Prime Minister should prioritize fixing the NHS rather than blaming individuals who are ill. Denyer emphasized the need to invest in mending the health and social care system to ensure everyone has access to necessary medical care.
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