Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to support employers to encourage good musculoskeletal health in the workplace, in the context of levels of musculoskeletal-related economic inactivity in the workforce.

The Government is taking several steps to help support employers to encourage good musculoskeletal (MSK) health in the workplace and reduce MSK-related economic inactivity.

In October 2022, we published the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Health Toolkit for employers and further education institutions which encourages employers to support adolescents and young adults with MSK conditions. The Musculoskeletal health toolkit for employers was developed in partnership with Business in the Community and provides practical information for employers of all sizes to address MSK conditions in the workplace for the working age population.

On the 24 January 2023, the Government announced plans to publish the Major Conditions Strategy (MCS). The Strategy will focus on six major groups of conditions including musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis. It will explore how we can tackle the key drivers of ill-health in England, reduce pressure on the NHS and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity. MSK is one of six key focuses of the MCS, which will be published early next year.

In the Spring Budget of 15 March 2023, the Government also set out a package of measures to tackle the leading health-related causes keeping people out of work, including people with MSK conditions:

• Introducing employment advisors within MSK services, including to support people with MSK conditions to thrive in work;
• Piloting the WorkWell Partnerships Programme to support disabled people and people with health conditions who want help to work;
• Undertaking two consultations to understand how best to increase employer use of occupational health services;
• New investment to broaden access to additional Work Coach support for disabled people and people with health conditions; and
• Introducing a new supported employment programme (Universal Support) for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, matching participants with open market jobs and funding support and training.

The Government also has a range of initiatives to provide expert and tailored support for disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with MSK conditions, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include:

• Access to Work grants helping towards extra costs of working beyond standard reasonable adjustments;
• 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; and
• An online Information Service called providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the workplace.