UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a series of welfare reforms aimed at reducing the number of Britons on long-term sick leave and addressing what he describes as an unsustainable rise in welfare spending. The reforms include stripping GPs of the power to sign off on sick notes, shifting the responsibility to 'specialist work and health professionals.' Sunak's plan, which is set to be unveiled in detail on Friday, is part of a broader effort to tackle the high number of Britons who have permanently dropped out of the workforce, which currently stands at 2.8 million. The government's strategy also involves tightening the rules for long-term sick leave to ensure that individuals who suffer from long-term mental health-related sickness receive the healthcare they need, rather than defaulting to long-term benefits. The reforms are in response to 11 million sick notes issued annually, with 850,000 more people becoming economically inactive since the pandemic, and projections that the PIP benefit bill could increase by 50% in four years.
