Department for Work and Pensions written statement – made at on 15 April 2024.
Mel Stride
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Together with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, we wish to inform the House of our intention to publish a Command Paper launching a Fit Note Reform: Call for Evidence.
At Autumn Statement 2023, the Chancellor announced plans to begin to test how we can give people receiving a fit note for a prolonged period of time the support they need to stay in or get back to work.
As part of these plans, we intend to publish a call for evidence in the coming weeks which will seek views and ideas from healthcare professionals, employers, individuals, and other stakeholders on how they would like to see the fit note process change to better support people to start, stay and succeed in work.
This is an important part of Government’s ambition to tackle economic inactivity due to long term sickness, improve health outcomes, and help people get access to the support they need to return to, remain and thrive in work.
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