Eight health issues DWP benefit reforms might target with 'back to work' measures

The Labour government has finally announced its long-awaited vision for a reformed benefits system, which will see local areas, including Greater Manchester, handed more power to get "economically inactive" people back into the workforce. Currently, the UK is an outlier among advanced nations, with this number continuing to grow steadily following the pandemic.

Eight common condition could be targeted by the new 'Back to Work' initiative at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which was unveiled by Liz Kendall on Tuesday. In the Commons, the Work and Pensions Secretary faced rounds of questions from MPs over the newly announced white paper and what it meant for millions of disabled Brits.

The primary causes of ill-health-related economic inactivity and the ballooning Personal Independence Payment (PIP) bill are mental illness and musculoskeletal disorders (MSK) such as back pain. Increasingly, poor mental health is making it more difficult for young people to find their first job, while chronic and painful MSK issues are making it harder for some to remain in the workforce at all.

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MSK conditions include a variety of ailments affecting the muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues, including arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, neck pain, connective tissue diseases, fibromyalgia, and sarcopenia. After mental health complaints, MSK issues are the second most common cause for a PIP claim, with more than 1 million Brits out of work and claiming PIP due to a muscle or skeletal issue.

Over the past decade, the number of workers aged 16 to 34 who report that mental ill health restricts the type or amount of work they can do has increased more than fourfold. And MSK conditions - like the seven above - are the most common conditions affecting older working-age people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness.

Kirsty Blackman, the SNP MP for Aberdeen North, asked Ms Kendall if Labour were continuing the negative approach to disability of the previous government, reports Birmingham Live. She asked: "Many disabled or ill people were terrified by the Tories' proposals to cut £3bn from the sickness benefit.

"Given that Labour are continuing along this cut, will the secretary of state today promise to sign up to the principle of 'nothing about us without us', and ensure that disabled people, those with ill health and those with lived experience of these systems are round the table?"

Kendall responded, "We do need change. I understand how worried people are when they hear about change, but they themselves I think would also say the change needs to happen."

Nadia Whittome, MP for Nottingham East, followed by asking: "Barriers to employment and a lack of workplace support for disabled people remain persistent challenges, as well as inadequate social security payments for everyone regardless of employment status. Can [Kendall] reassure disabled people that the government's new support measures will not be conditional on being able to work?

The DWP boss replied: "I understand why disabled people, when they hear talk about helping people into work or reforms to sickness and disability benefits, why they're worried because of what happened over the last 14 years, we are determined to break down those barriers to work.

"I think many disabled people, given the right help and support and the right flexibility to work, could work and want to work. ".