Shaming people won’t get them back to work
A few weeks ago, we saw the Government roll out monumental reforms to the current welfare system. The ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper is set to change how we look at benefits in Britain, with ambition to boost economic growth and include more people who have been previously locked out the workforce – notably those with long-term health conditions.
It is a common misconception that people with disabilities, long-term health conditions or mental health conditions would never be able to work. In my background of working in the NHS for 22 years, mostly in mental health services, I know with the proper support from employers and the state, people with mental health conditions can thrive in certain workplaces, and the new reforms from the Government, such as the Keep Britain Working review to be launched in the coming spring, will help them do just that. This support to keep people in work will also be a huge support for employers who will not have to rely so heavily on migrant labour, agency staff or go through the constant cycle of rehiring when employees with long-term health conditions become too ill to work.
There are currently 2.8 million people locked out of work due to long-term sickness. This can be down to various conditions, such as mental health issues, long-covid, ME, epilepsy – amongst many others. This is why the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is correct when she stated that we need to treat welfare and health as two sides of the same coin. Which is why we must also look to reform our healthcare system so we can accommodate similar challenges.
Throwing money at the NHS will not be the solution to fixing it – we must ensure that we are trying to move towards a preventative model. Many of these long term and mental health conditions are preventable. With the right approach and legislation – such as the recent Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024, which will create the first ever smoke free generation – it is possible to stop these problems before they begin. This creates a healthier population who are able to work and boost our local economies.
It is also vital that we end the shaming culture which has been built up in our welfare system over the past 14 years. This is not the way to help people with health problems – especially mental health issues – into work. Making people feel guilty and shaming them off their benefits is not an answer to helping them back into work. All it does is create a cycle of low self-esteem and apathy towards finding work, this stops any hope of social mobility and people can spiral into a cycle of depression. If we can change this culture of blaming and shaming and genuinely try to train people to look for work, we can unlock a huge section of the economy by helping a large population who are currently unemployed into the workforce.
The number of young people Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET), with mental health conditions is also disproportionately high. According to The School-Home Support charity, around 42% of NEET young people experienced stress/anxiety, 29% experienced depression, and 8% self-harmed. This is simply unacceptable. The new Youth Guarantee Scheme will ensure that these young people, (aged 18-21) can be earning or learning with new apprenticeships and skill-based schemes to get them to work or back into education.
We have taken the wrong approach to health and the welfare system for over a decade. If we want to help people make the transition back to work, we must change the culture and implement reform. For almost a decade-and-a-half we have tried to shame people back into work. This simply will not work for people with long-term health conditions – especially mental health. We have not incentivised people to work either. Low and stagnant wages, zero-hours contracts, fire-and-rehire schemes all contribute to a society which does not encourage people to find work. By banning these exploitative practices and introducing a real living wage under the Employments Rights Bill we can create a healthier culture of work which encourages people to seek employment.
We have had an economy which has been flatlining for over a decade, and a population which has been increasingly suffering from various long-term health conditions – and locked out of work as a result. It is vital we look to reform the welfare system and help people back into work to generate the necessary growth required to boost our local economies.
Sojan Joseph has been the Labour Member of Parliament for Ashford since 2024. Previously, he served as a Councillor on Ashford Borough Council.
