The government is stepping up efforts to reduce workplace sickness by expanding occupational health support for small businesses across England. The move is aimed at helping employers address health-related absence earlier and keep more people in work.
The Department for Work and Pensions has announced free occupational health training for 5,000 line managers in small businesses. The government-funded programme will run between January and March 2026 and forms part of wider plans to strengthen labour market participation.
The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that line managers in small and medium-sized businesses will receive government-funded occupational health training early next year. The initiative is intended to give managers practical tools to support employee health and wellbeing at work.
The announcement comes as ministers respond to high levels of long-term sickness and the growing impact of health-related absence on small businesses and the wider labour market.
Findings from the workplace sickness challenge
Workplace sickness continues to affect employment levels, with more than 2.8 million people currently signed off long-term sick. Government reviews have also found that hundreds of thousands more working-age adults are out of work due to sickness compared with pre-pandemic levels.
Small businesses face particular pressure, with limited access to occupational health services and fewer resources to manage health-related absence. These challenges have contributed to staff turnover and reduced productivity across the SME sector.
Government-funded occupational health training
The new training programme will be available to line managers in small businesses across England between January and March 2026. It will be fully funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and delivered on a voluntary basis.
Ministers say the initiative is designed to help employers retain skilled staff and provide earlier support to employees experiencing health difficulties.
What the training will equip managers to do
The training will focus on practical skills to help managers recognise early signs of health concerns among staff. Areas of focus include identifying changes in behaviour, persistent fatigue, and increased absence.
Managers will also be supported to have constructive conversations about health and workplace adjustments, with the aim of helping employees remain in work where possible.
- Recognise early signs of physical and mental health concerns
- Support employees through appropriate workplace adjustments
Impact on small businesses and productivity
Government figures show that replacing an employee lost to ill-health can cost small businesses more than £11,000. Each day of sickness absence is also estimated to cost businesses around £120 in lost profit.
By improving access to occupational health training, ministers expect the programme to support staff retention and reduce the financial impact of sickness absence on SMEs.
- Reduce sickness-related staff turnover
- Improve productivity and workforce stability
Training Areas
| Early intervention | Helping managers identify health issues before they lead to prolonged absence |
| Workplace adjustments | Supporting appropriate changes to help employees remain in work |
Delivery partners and programme funding
The training will be led by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and delivered by partner organisations across England. Funding of up to £800,000 has been allocated to support delivery during the three-month programme period.
Officials say the approach builds on existing government measures to support small businesses and strengthen the labour market.
Programme Overview
| Participants | 5,000 line managers in small businesses across England |
| Delivery period | January to March 2026 |
Ministerial Comments
Dame Diana Johnson, Minister for Employment said;
“Too often, small businesses lose skilled staff to health issues without the tools to support them. This free training gives line managers the confidence to have the right conversations and make adjustments that could help keep people in work.”
To Sum Up
The government has said it will continue to work with employers to reduce the impact of workplace sickness and improve access to support for small businesses. Ministers view the training programme as part of broader efforts to build a more inclusive labour market. Further measures are expected to focus on retention, skills, and long-term workforce participation.
Sources: Department for Work and Pensions.
Prepared by Ivan Alexander Golden, Founder of THX News™, an independent news organisation delivering timely insights from global official sources. Combines AI-analysed research with human-edited accuracy and context.
