'The Disability Confident scheme just hasn't driven the outcomes that we would expect a well-functioning disability inclusion accreditation to produce.' Beth Kume-Holland Founder and CEO of Patchwork Hub.

Do proposed reforms to the Disability Confident scheme go far enough?

@patchworkhub.bsky.social​ CEO Beth Kume-Holland from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives, in conversation with Claire Campbell, argues for a fundamental shift in the government's mindset ⬇️

https://bit.ly/3OirNxH

Action for healthier working lives The Commission for Healthier Working Lives’ final report sets out the need for a new approach to work and health, outlining seven key recommendations to lay the foundation for long-term change.

Ahead of the publication the Keep Britain Working Review earlier this year, our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives called for a radical shift from late-stage intervention to early support to keep people in work ⬇️

December 2025 Welcome to your latest issue of HR Gamechangers, spotlighting creative people managers, sharing knowledge and providing you with the most up to date intelligence on designing work that works for moder...

📢 Our latest #HRGamechangers update is here! Insights on #HealthierWorkingLives, part-time working, healthier work & more. Meet Gillian Brookes, flexible work specialist and Flexperts author & explore upcoming events: www.linkedin.com/pulse/decemb...
#HR #ModernWorkingLives

Day 5️⃣ of #12DaysofLW reflects on our reports for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives. 📑

L&W, @employmentstudies.bsky.social and @rsph.bsky.social have worked in partnership to inform the commission led by @healthfoundation.bsky.social.

Read the reports: learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

'Mainstreaming accessible practices and flexibility would reduce the number of barriers we need to address at the individual level, and benefit everyone.' Beth Kume-Holland, Founder and CEO of Patchwork Hub

Following the government’s consultation on health and disability support, Beth Kume-Holland from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives argues that we must listen to and act on the lived experiences of disabled people to build inclusive workplaces.

Read more⬇️
https://bit.ly/4mevkZR

'There are assumptions made about my health conditions. I have this feeling that I've got to prove myself in every situation I'm in. I've not had the self-esteem to speak up for myself.' Chloe, Research participant living with a health condition

Government plans to reform disability benefits highlight the need to understand barriers faced by people living with health conditions.

This interactive feature from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives and ClearView Research explores their stories and perspectives⬇️

https://bit.ly/4eXJdIS

'To make the world of work truly inclusive, we need to understand what enables people to stay in work and thrive in different contexts.' Jes Phillips, Policy and Programme Officer for the Commission for Healthier Working Lives

All eyes are on the UK's growing working-age health challenge.

In this blog, Jes Phillips from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives explores how policy can be improved through understanding real life experiences of work and health ⬇️

https://bit.ly/4m4vGS6

One year on from the riots, what can Kent tell us about the state of the UK? Chatham in Kent embodies the problems facing many small towns in the UK, but there are shoots of recovery beginning to come through.

"Just 20 local authorities account for 10% of all people in the UK who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness."

Check out our research for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives led by @healthfoundation.bsky.social in @bigissue.com. ⬇️

learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re... 📑

' I describe it as working with a broken phone battery. When I was really poorly, I had 2%. I could only get to the bathroom and back.' Mary, research participant living with a health condition

How do we better understand the stories behind the numbers around declining working-age health?

Our new feature with ClearView Research, part of our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives, explores the experiences of people living with health conditions, in their own words ⬇️
https://bit.ly/4eXJdIS

'To make the world of work truly inclusive, we need to understand what enables people to stay in work and thrive in different contexts.' Jes Phillips, Policy and Programme Officer for the Commission for Healthier Working Lives

All eyes are on the UK's growing working-age health challenge.

In this new blog, Jes Phillips from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives explores how policy can be improved through understanding real life experiences of work and health ⬇️

https://bit.ly/4m4vGS6

Read more about our recommendations for supporting a healthier workforce in the final report from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives ⬇️

bit.ly/4eJIDyh

Balancing work and care

Find out more in ‘Balancing work and care’, funded by @healthfoundation.bsky.social to inform the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives 👇

learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

#CarersWeek

(8/8)

Nearly 6 million people are balancing employment with unpaid care. Targeted support is required to help them pursue fulfilling careers, new research finds - Learning and Work Institute

📣 NEW: Nearly 6 million people are balancing employment with unpaid care. Targeted support is required to help them pursue fulfilling careers, our latest research finds.

#CarersWeek #HealthierWorkingLives @healthfoundation.bsky.social

(1/8) 🧵

Catch up: How can employers support action on healthier working lives? In this webinar we heard more about the Commission’s findings and the practical steps employers can take to support health at work – including through job design, flexible working and line management.

What role can employers play in supporting #HealthierWorkingLives?

We brought together experts on good employer practice to discuss how they, with the right backing from government, can help people stay in work when health issues arise.

Watch now ⬇️

Catch up: How can employers support action on healthier working lives? In this webinar we heard more about the Commission’s findings and the practical steps employers can take to support health at work – including through job design, flexible working and line management.

What role can employers play in supporting #HealthierWorkingLives?

We brought together experts on good employer practice to discuss how they, with the right backing from government, can help people stay in work when health issues arise.

Watch now ⬇️

Making statutory sick pay work This analysis explains why current statutory sick pay reforms, though significant, do not go far enough and outlines a path to a better system.

Good to see our new analysis of statutory sick pay (SSP) and the final report of our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives quoted by Baroness Lister during the debate on the Employment Rights Bill.

SSP remains too low to provide meaningful financial security during illness.

Read the analysis ⬇️

Action for healthier working lives The Commission for Healthier Working Lives’ final report sets out the need for a new approach to work and health, outlining seven key recommendations to lay the foundation for long-term change.

Our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives recommends a structured review during this parliament to help assess recent reforms and set a course towards a fairer, more effective system over time.

Read Action for Healthier Working Lives 👇

bit.ly/3F2GK2k

Supporting workers’ health and access to better work

Our recent report for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives looked at what works in:

🧡 Protecting health and wellbeing at work 
🤝 Supporting people with work-limiting conditions to remain in work
🔍 Supporting people out of work due to ill health to find and keep employment

Read the report. ⬇️

An exploration of local variations in health and job outcomes across the UK

The number of people economically inactive due to ill health has risen across all UK nations and regions with persistent inequalities between local areas.

Explore the findings of our research for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives looking at health and job outcomes across the country. ⬇️📑

'8.2 million people – 1 in 5 people aged 16–64 years – now have a long-term health condition that limits their ability to work. That’s 2 million more than a decade ago.' The Health Foundation

The Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives has published its final report, warning of the challenges and costs of rising health-related job loss. We digest the findings and summarise key actions for government.

Read more ⬇️

https://bit.ly/3RNJAuR

'8.2 million people – 1 in 5 people aged 16–64 years – now have a long-term health condition that limits their ability to work. That’s 2 million more than a decade ago.' The Health Foundation

The Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives has published its final report, warning of the challenges and costs of rising health-related job loss. We digest the findings and summarise key actions for government.

Read more ⬇️
buff.ly/ZxJ4p0c

'8.2 million people – 1 in 5 people aged 16–64 years – now have a long-term health condition that limits their ability to work. That’s 2 million more than a decade ago.' The Health Foundation

The Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives has published its final report, warning of the challenges and costs of rising health-related job loss. We digest the findings and summarise key actions for government.

Read more ⬇️
buff.ly/iZqRrdQ

The work of our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives wouldn't have been possible without invaluable perspectives from people like Bobbie, who shared his experience of the challenges of staying in the workforce while living with arthritis.

Read Action for Healthier Working Lives ⬇️
buff.ly/guKvpRR

How to keep sick people in employment Support often comes too late — after workers have left jobs and when they have little chance of going back

Great piece in @financialtimes.com from Chair of our Commission for #healthierworkinglives

Acting early to prevent people from leaving work due to sickness is a sustainable way to reduce pressures on the welfare state

www.ft.com/content/d324...

Great piece in @financialtimes.com from Chair of our Commission for #healthierworkinglives

Acting early to prevent people from leaving work due to sickness is a sustainable way to reduce pressures on the welfare state

www.ft.com/content/d324...

'Protecting people’s health, and helping keep people with health conditions in work, would be far more productive to reduce pressures on welfare spending than short-termist cuts to disability and health benefits.' David Finch, Assistant Director of Healthy Lives at the Health Foundation

BLOG: Will substantial cuts to disability benefits undermine efforts to shift to a more preventative system?

@davefinch.bsky.social reflects on the government's Pathways to Work green paper and the final report from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives.

Read more ⬇️
buff.ly/unZr0va

An exploration of local variations in health and job outcomes across the UK

Are you up to date on our work for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives? 📑

We recently published a report looking at variations in health and job outcomes across the country, revealing persistent inequalities between local areas. ⬇️

'Protecting people’s health, and helping keep people with health conditions in work, would be far more productive to reduce pressures on welfare spending than short-termist cuts to disability and health benefits.' David Finch, Assistant Director of Healthy Lives at the Health Foundation

NEW BLOG: Will substantial cuts to disability benefits undermine efforts to shift to a more preventative system?

@davefinch.bsky.social reflects on the government's Pathways to Work Green Paper, and the final report from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives.

Read more ⬇️
buff.ly/bM5mR7d

'With more than 4 million working-age people in employment now reporting a health condition that limits their ability to work, it is vital for government to deliver a decisive shift towards prevention and early intervention.' Christopher Rocks, Lead Economist at the Health Foundation

Welcoming the Discovery Phase Report of the Keep Britain Working Review, @christopher-rocks.bsky.social says it rightly emphasises the need for early, preventative action to protect workforce health, aligning with recommendations from our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives ⬇️

buff.ly/8rqNWlT

Employment, economic inactivity and incapacity: past lessons and implications for future policy Labour market expert Paul Gregg shares his assessment of the reasons for falling labour market participation and offers a policy direction informed by past lessons.

In a paper for our Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives last year, Paul Gregg cautioned against a narrow focus on welfare spending cuts when addressing the rise in inactivity and incapacity.

He emphasised the importance of early intervention and investing in working-age health ⬇️

buff.ly/vdfnGSY