Sunak eyes plans to entice over 50s back to work

The Government wants to encourage the over 50s and the long-term sick back into work to decrease labour shortages.

Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, is drawing up the proposals, as well as prioritising efforts to keep people in work in the first place.

One of the reforms being considered is to let people on long-term sickness benefits keep some of those payments when they first return to work. Tax breaks to encourage the over 50s to return to work have also been discussed but are seen as unworkable in practice.

On top of these plans, Stride is due to publish a delayed white paper on the health and disability benefits system. As it stands, people who come back to work and come off disability benefits have to begin the benefits process again if they are unable to hold the job.

Jon Ashworth, shadow work and pensions secretary, pledged that a Labour Government would allow people to return to their benefits without the need to requalify.

Read more at smallbusiness.co.uk

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