Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that his Department's consultation, Occupational Health: Working Better, updated on 9 August 2023, encourages working people to engage in the daily mile.
Tackling economic inactivity due to long-term sickness is a top priority for the Government. The Occupational Health: Working Better consultation was announced alongside the Chancellor’s £2 billion package at the Spring Budget 2023 to support disabled people and those living with health conditions to succeed in work.
The consultation recognises the role of Occupational Health in supporting employee health and wellbeing and it seeks to drive an ambitious increase in Occupational Health coverage.
We cannot pre-empt the outcome of the consultation by specifying interventions that will be included as the consultation is ongoing. Following its conclusion on 12 October, responses will be analysed and policy options will be developed.