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Written Question
Sick Leave and Unemployment: Mental Health
Tuesday 21st May 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had discussions with the National Statistics Authority on the use of the term bad nerves as a reason for (a) economic inactivity and (b) long term sickness absence.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

Statistical definitions and data collection are the responsibility of the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Department has an ongoing relationship with the ONS however there has been no discussion on the use of the term ‘bad nerves.’

As part of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) people, both in and out of work, are asked about any long-term health conditions they may have. The term ‘bad nerves’ is used as part of the option ‘depression, bad nerves and anxiety.’

The LFS only asks people for their main reason for economic inactivity. This can include long term sickness, but they are not asked which specific health condition this relates to. Therefore, the LFS does not capture if any health condition is the reason for economic inactivity or long-term sickness. There are often complex and interacting factors related to someone being economically inactive.

The LFS is currently undergoing a transformation with latest update from the ONS showing that the option for ‘depression, bad nerves and anxiety’ will be removed in favour of the following questions on mental health - ‘Do you have any of the following? Depression or anxiety’ and ‘Do you have any of the following? Mental illness, phobias, panics or other nervous disorders.’.


Written Question
Anxiety
Tuesday 6th February 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what clinical definition of anxiety his Department uses.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The Department does not use a specific clinical definition of anxiety as Work Capability Assessments and Personal Independence Payment assessments are functional assessments that focus on the impacts of a person’s health condition or disability on their daily life, rather than the diagnosis itself.


Written Question
Employment: Mental Illness
Thursday 18th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to encourage people with (a) depression, (b) bad nerves and (c) anxiety to self manage their conditions by engaging with work.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

Good work is generally good for health. The Government therefore has a wide range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including depression, bad nerves and anxiety, to start, stay and succeed in work. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works in lockstep with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through our Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate (JWHD), which reports to both Secretaries of State. This was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, with a focus on building the evidence base for what works for whom.

Based on the evidence and delivered through the JWHD in partnership with DHSC, we provide support to individuals and employers. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. Initiatives include:

  • Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions;
  • The Work and Health Programme providing tailored and personalised support for disabled people;
  • Disability Confident encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face in the workplace;
  • A digital information service for employers providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the workplace;
  • Increasing access to occupational health, including the testing of financial incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed;
  • Additional Work Coach support programme that provides disabled people and people with health conditions with increased tailored work coach support to help them move towards and into work;
  • Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work; and
  • The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme, a Supported Employment model (place, train and maintain) delivered in health settings, aimed at people with physical or common mental health conditions to support them to access paid jobs in the open labour market.

Building on existing provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the Spring Budget, we announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023. This includes:

  • Doubling the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme, to provide support for 100,000 people per year when fully rolled out;
  • Formally launching WorkWell, which will bring together the NHS, local authorities and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres, to provide light touch work and health support in approximately 15 pilot areas;
  • Building on the extension of the certification of the fit notes to a wider range of healthcare professions, exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to work and health support; and
  • Establishing an expert group to support the development of the voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health provision.

Written Question
Employment: Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, what steps his Department takes to work with the Department of Health and Social Care on clinically recognised approaches to treating (a) bad nerves and (b) anxiety to design appropriate work-related interventions to tackle rates of long term sickness.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The Government has a wide range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including anxiety, bad nerves and depression, to start, stay and succeed in work. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works in lockstep with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through our Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate (JWHD), which reports to both Secretaries of State. This was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, with a focus on building the evidence base for what works for whom.

Based on the evidence and delivered through the JWHD in partnership with DHSC, we provide support to individuals and employers. Initiatives include:

  • Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions;
  • The Work and Health Programme providing tailored and personalised support for disabled people;
  • Disability Confident encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face in the workplace;
  • A digital information service for employers providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the workplace;
  • Increasing access to occupational health, including the testing of financial incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed;
  • Additional Work Coach support programme that provides disabled people and people with health conditions with increased tailored work coach support to help them move towards and into work;Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work; and
  • The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme, a Supported Employment model (place, train and maintain) delivered in health settings, aimed at people with physical or common mental health conditions to support them to access paid jobs in the open labour market.

Building on existing provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the Spring Budget, we announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023. This includes:

  • Doubling the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme, to provide support for 100,000 people per year when fully rolled out;
  • Formally launching WorkWell, which will bring together the NHS, local authorities and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres, to provide light touch work and health support in approximately 15 pilot areas;
  • Building on the extension of the certification of the fit notes to a wider range of healthcare professions, exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to work and health support; and
  • Establishing an expert group to support the development of the voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health provision.

Written Question
Employment: Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, what guidance his Department provides to employers to help them manage employees who report (a) bad nerves, (b) depression and (c) anxiety to stay in work.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The Government has a wide range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including anxiety, bad nerves and depression, to start, stay and succeed in work. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works in lockstep with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through our Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate (JWHD), which reports to both Secretaries of State. This was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, with a focus on building the evidence base for what works for whom.

Based on the evidence and delivered through the JWHD in partnership with DHSC, we provide support to individuals and employers. Initiatives include:

  • Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions;
  • The Work and Health Programme providing tailored and personalised support for disabled people;
  • Disability Confident encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face in the workplace;
  • A digital information service for employers providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the workplace;
  • Increasing access to occupational health, including the testing of financial incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed;
  • Additional Work Coach support programme that provides disabled people and people with health conditions with increased tailored work coach support to help them move towards and into work;Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work; and
  • The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme, a Supported Employment model (place, train and maintain) delivered in health settings, aimed at people with physical or common mental health conditions to support them to access paid jobs in the open labour market.

Building on existing provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the Spring Budget, we announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023. This includes:

  • Doubling the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme, to provide support for 100,000 people per year when fully rolled out;
  • Formally launching WorkWell, which will bring together the NHS, local authorities and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres, to provide light touch work and health support in approximately 15 pilot areas;
  • Building on the extension of the certification of the fit notes to a wider range of healthcare professions, exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to work and health support; and
  • Establishing an expert group to support the development of the voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health provision.

Written Question
Unemployment: Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, what the prevalence is of (a) bad nerves and (b) anxiety in people aged between 16 and 64 who have been economically inactive because of long term health conditions since (i) 2010 and (ii) 2000.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

“Depression, bad nerves or anxiety” is a pre-specified single category in the Labour Force Survey questionnaire. We are therefore unable to separate out depression, bad nerves and anxiety from each other.

As such, we have provided a breakdown of working-age people (16-64) self-reporting depression, bad nerves or anxiety as a main or secondary health condition who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness from 2013 to 2023, published in The Employment of Disabled People 2023 (Table EIA017).

Prevalence of depression, bad nerves or anxiety for those who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness, 2013-2023

Quarter

Number of people who are economically inactive because they are long-term sick (thousands)

Number of people who are economically inactive because they are long-term sick with depression, bad nerves or anxiety (thousands)

Apr 13 to Jun 13

2,071

908

Apr 14 to Jun 14

1,999

908

Apr 15 to Jun 15

2,092

992

Apr 16 to Jun 16

2,048

1,000

Apr 17 to Jun 17

1,986

976

Apr 18 to Jun 18

2,046

980

Apr 19 to Jun 19

2,039

1,034

Apr 20 to Jun 20

2,133

1,143

Apr 21 to Jun 21

2,192

1,149

Apr 22 to Jun 22

2,394

1,256

Apr 23 to Jun 23

2,582

1,361

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) quarterly person data

Note this is unpublished data from our own analysis of ONS Labour Force Survey data and that the ONS release compared Jan-Mar 2019 to Jan-Mar 2023 data.


Written Question
Unemployment: Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, what interventions have proved effective at helping people with (a) anxiety and (b) bad nerves into work.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The Government has a wide range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including anxiety, bad nerves and depression, to start, stay and succeed in work. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works in lockstep with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through our Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate (JWHD), which reports to both Secretaries of State. This was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, with a focus on building the evidence base for what works for whom.

Based on the evidence and delivered through the JWHD in partnership with DHSC, we provide support to individuals and employers. Initiatives include:

  • Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions;
  • The Work and Health Programme providing tailored and personalised support for disabled people;
  • Disability Confident encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face in the workplace;
  • A digital information service for employers providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the workplace;
  • Increasing access to occupational health, including the testing of financial incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed;
  • Additional Work Coach support programme that provides disabled people and people with health conditions with increased tailored work coach support to help them move towards and into work;Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work; and
  • The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme, a Supported Employment model (place, train and maintain) delivered in health settings, aimed at people with physical or common mental health conditions to support them to access paid jobs in the open labour market.

Building on existing provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the Spring Budget, we announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023. This includes:

  • Doubling the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme, to provide support for 100,000 people per year when fully rolled out;
  • Formally launching WorkWell, which will bring together the NHS, local authorities and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres, to provide light touch work and health support in approximately 15 pilot areas;
  • Building on the extension of the certification of the fit notes to a wider range of healthcare professions, exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to work and health support; and
  • Establishing an expert group to support the development of the voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health provision.

Written Question
Unemployment: Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, whether performance differs in helping people to re-engage with work who report (a) anxiety and (b) bad nerves as a (i) primary and (ii) secondary condition.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

On average between 2014 and 2022, disabled people who reported depression, bad nerves or anxiety as their main long-term health condition were more likely to move into work than those that reported it as a main or secondary condition – 14.8% of those not in work the previous year for main condition compared to 9.5% for main or secondary condition. To note, the way the survey data is structured means we are unable to look at labour market impacts for those with conditions listed only as a secondary condition.

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) assesses an individual against a set of descriptors to determine how their health condition(s) or disability affects their ability to work. A key principle is that the WCA considers the impact that a person’s disability or health condition has on them, not the condition itself. Therefore, whether the condition is primary or secondary is not relevant to the WCA outcome.

The WCA outcome will determine what work-related requirements, if any, are appropriate.

Those with particular health conditions, regardless of whether they are listed as primary or secondary conditions, may be found in any labour market regime as people’s conditions can impact their ability to work or engage in work related activity in different ways. This varies from claimants experiencing the most severe impacts from their health condition who are placed in the No Work Related Requirement group and cannot be subject to any work-related requirements, to claimants with health conditions but who are nonetheless fit for work who may set up to 35 hours of work search a week. Where claimants are in a group where conditionality is set, conditionality is agreed between the WC and the claimant and always tailored to someone’s circumstances. A work coach will consider the circumstances of the person in front of them when setting requirements and referring them to specific provision or policy interventions, regardless of whether a condition is listed as a ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’ condition.


Written Question
Unemployment: Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, whether (a) policy interventions for and (b) other approaches to (i) bad nerves and (ii) anxiety are different for people reporting it as a (A) primary and (B) secondary condition.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

On average between 2014 and 2022, disabled people who reported depression, bad nerves or anxiety as their main long-term health condition were more likely to move into work than those that reported it as a main or secondary condition – 14.8% of those not in work the previous year for main condition compared to 9.5% for main or secondary condition. To note, the way the survey data is structured means we are unable to look at labour market impacts for those with conditions listed only as a secondary condition.

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) assesses an individual against a set of descriptors to determine how their health condition(s) or disability affects their ability to work. A key principle is that the WCA considers the impact that a person’s disability or health condition has on them, not the condition itself. Therefore, whether the condition is primary or secondary is not relevant to the WCA outcome.

The WCA outcome will determine what work-related requirements, if any, are appropriate.

Those with particular health conditions, regardless of whether they are listed as primary or secondary conditions, may be found in any labour market regime as people’s conditions can impact their ability to work or engage in work related activity in different ways. This varies from claimants experiencing the most severe impacts from their health condition who are placed in the No Work Related Requirement group and cannot be subject to any work-related requirements, to claimants with health conditions but who are nonetheless fit for work who may set up to 35 hours of work search a week. Where claimants are in a group where conditionality is set, conditionality is agreed between the WC and the claimant and always tailored to someone’s circumstances. A work coach will consider the circumstances of the person in front of them when setting requirements and referring them to specific provision or policy interventions, regardless of whether a condition is listed as a ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’ condition.


Written Question
Mental Illness
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the ONS release Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023, dated 26 July 2023, what the prevalence of (a) depression, (b) bad nerves and (c) anxiety is for each age cohort of (i) men and (ii) and for people (A) in work and (B) who are long term sick.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

“Depression, bad nerves or anxiety” is a pre-specified single category in the Labour Force Survey questionnaire. We are therefore unable to separate out depression, bad nerves and anxiety from each other.

As such, we have provided a breakdown of working-age people (16-64) self-reporting depression, bad nerves or anxiety as a main or secondary health condition by age and sex for those (A) in work and (B) economically inactive due to long-term sickness, for the most recent quarter of data available. Note this is unpublished data.

Prevalence of depression, bad nerves or anxiety by age and sex, for those in work and those who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness, April-June 2023 (unpublished)

In work

Economically inactive due to long-term sickness

Total

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

2,682,183

1,026,235

1,655,948

1,360,720

566,368

794,352

16 to 24

317,861

108,056

209,805

106,622

48,054

58,568

25 to 34

801,357

306,992

494,365

206,336

94,522

111,814

35 to 49

895,129

333,752

561,377

328,877

133,968

194,909

50 to 64

667,836

277,435

390,401

718,885

289,824

429,061

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) quarterly person data

Note this is unpublished data from our own analysis of ONS Labour Force Survey data and that the ONS release compared Jan-Mar 2019 to Jan-Mar 2023 data.