Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on cross-government support for people whose ability to work is affected by migraine.

The Government is committed to working collaboratively to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including people affected by migraine. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions’ Joint Work and Health Directorate was established to co-ordinate Government activity to help disabled people and people with health conditions get good work, get on in that work, and to return to work as quickly as possible if they leave it.

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions have a range of specialist initiatives, including those joining up health and employment support around the individual through programmes such as Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and WorkWell, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Ministers and officials have regular conversations with regard to employment support for people whose ability to work is affected by a health condition.

The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration. The plan outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health, and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work and deliver holistic care that leads to better employment outcomes for all.

Employers are also crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, such as migraines, to thrive in the workforce. To encourage employers to create disability inclusive workplaces, the Government continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme. This provides resources such as the Disability Confident Manager’s Guide, which includes guidance on flexible working and workplace adjustments, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-confident-and-cipd-guide-for-line-managers-on-employing-people-with-a-disability-or-health-condition

The Government’s offer to employers also comprises tailored guidance on supporting disabled people and people with health conditions in the workplace through its Support with Employee Health and Disability service. This includes guidance on disclosures and having conversations about health and disabilities, plus guidance on legal obligations and making reasonable adjustments. Further information on the Support with Employee Health and Disability service is available at the following link:

https://www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/support-with-employee-health-and-disability

Additionally, in November 2025, Sir Charlie Mayfield published the Keep Britain Working Review, setting out recommendations to reshape how the Government works with employers to improve work and health outcomes through creating healthier, more inclusive workplaces. The Government is now working with volunteer employers, providers, and regions through a Vanguard Phase to test and refine approaches to help disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions, including people affected by migraine, receive the support they need to remain and thrive in employment. Alongside the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Business and Trade, National Health Service organisations are already participating in the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase to design a healthy working lifecycle standard and the accompanying Workplace Health Provision.