Former health secretary Alan Milburn has warned that Britain risks a “generational, societal and economic catastrophe” unless employers and government adapt to rising levels of poor mental health among young people. An interim review led by Milburn into the growing number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training argues that businesses will need to provide greater flexibility, pastoral care and mental health support to what he describes as an “anxious generation”. (more…)

Business leaders, policymakers and workplace experts have warned that the UK’s fragmented approach to work, wellbeing and welfare is undermining economic resilience, with comparisons to Denmark highlighting the pressure placed on the NHS and benefits system in Britain. The warning came during a Westminster roundtable  for the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing chaired by Dame Carol Black on 13 May. The discussion followed shortly after the King’s Speech opened the new parliamentary session with a renewed emphasis on “economic security”. Participants argued that Britain’s rising levels of long-term sickness and economic inactivity will require a more coordinated approach involving employers, government departments, healthcare systems and insurers. (more…)

More than half of UK freelancers and small business owners have considered giving up self-employment over the past year, according to new research from The Accountancy Partnership. The survey of 1,060 self-employed professionals found that 50.7 percent have thought about returning to traditional employment in the past 12 months. Of these, 16.4 percent said they had seriously considered leaving self-employment altogether, while 34.3 percent said the idea had crossed their minds briefly. (more…)