Click to Enlarge
Facebook
Twitter
The Financial Times reports that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt plans to use his Autumn Statement, set to be delivered in November, to tackle a sharp rise in the number of people unable to work because of mental health issues. The paper says that, according estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility, a combination of extra welfare spending and lost tax revenues mean health-related economic inactivity is costing the government £16bn more per year since the start of the pandemic. Planned measures to address the issue include tax breaks and subsidies for workplace health services and changes to encourage GPs to refer people to support schemes instead of signing them off work.