- Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden has stated that employment is ‘part of the answer’ for the 45 per cent of young people not in education, employment or training who have mental health conditions or are neurodiverse.
- Speaking on a fact-finding trip to Denmark, McFadden suggested that young Britons with health conditions would benefit more from working than relying on state benefits.
- The UK Government is considering lessons from Denmark's Fleksjob scheme, which subsidises employment for individuals with health conditions or disabilities rather than placing them on sick leave.
- Legislation to reform the UK welfare system is expected next year following upcoming reports from Alan Milburn and Stephen Timms into youth unemployment and disability benefits.
- The proposed overhauls come as the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts the UK welfare bill will swell to £431 billion by the 2031-32 financial year.
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