Keep Britain Working: 7% of UK GDP lost per year due to ill-health

Sir Charlie Mayfield review published

Cameron Roberts
clock • 4 min read

The Keep Britain Working Review has today (5 November, 2025) been published, recommending further collaboration between government, employers and the private sector to improve workplace wellbeing.

The report showed that one in five working-age people in the UK are now out of work and not looking for work, lagging behind other European countries. It cited that 800,000 more people are out of work now than in 2019 due to health problems, with another 600,000 expected to be added by 2030 unless action is taken. The Review discussed that individuals, employers and the state are all impacted by these employment trends. A 22-year old who falls out of work could be more than £1 million worse off over a lifetime; employers lose £120 per day in profit from sickness absence; and the state...

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