DWP broadcasts new ‘intervention’ aimed to slash incapacity profit numbers

Former John lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield is expected to head up the Department of Work and Pensions review, which will seek ways to get people currently on disability benefits back into work

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a new task-force , spearheaded by former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield, aimed at tackling the spiralling levels of economic inactivity caused by ill health and disability.

Dubbed the “Keep Britain Working Review,” this initiative seeks to unite government and businesses to break down barriers preventing disabled people and those with long-term illnesses from entering or staying in the workforce.

According to the DWP, the review aims to be an “intervention” that will “investigate how government and businesses can work together to support ill and disabled people into work”, in part to decrease the Department’s spend of disability benefits.

The review comes amid a backdrop of significant reform, with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) preparing to unveil major health and disability benefit changes this spring. With over a third of working-age adults reporting long-term health conditions and disabled individuals being three times more likely to be out of work, the stakes for the review couldn’t be higher.

Sir Charlie, who previously chaired both the John Lewis Partnership and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, highlighted the urgency of the task:

“Losing people from the workforce because of ill-health or disability is bad for individuals, businesses, and the wider economy. This is a growing issue that demands close collaboration between government and business to resolve.”

The review is expected to move swiftly, with initial findings expected in Spring. Sir Charlie is set to engage with businesses, employees, and organisations across the UK to identify challenges and opportunities in recruiting and retaining disabled workers.

Recommendations will follow later this year, forming part of the government’s wider Plan for Change to boost employment, raise living standards, and drive economic growth.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP said, “For too long, millions have been held back from reaching their potential, and businesses have struggled to find the talent they need. This review will be key to ensuring that more people can access meaningful work and contribute to a thriving economy.”

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds echoed the sentiment, calling the review “a critical step” to solving labour market challenges, while Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of the CBI, described lower employment rates among disabled people as a “tragic waste of potential.”

This initiative comes as households across the UK grapple with record-high bills, mortgage costs, and a persistent cost-of-living crisis.

While inflation dipped slightly to 2.5% in December, the economic outlook remains mixed, with the government facing criticism over planned cuts to sickness and disability benefits.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already outlined £3bn in savings, with further cuts reportedly under consideration.