What is Keep Britain Working?

Keep Britain Working: Why VERCIDA is Leading the Charge for a Healthier, More Inclusive UK Workforce

In an era where economic growth and social wellbeing are inextricably linked, the UK faces a "quiet crisis." With over 2.8 million people currently out of the workforce due to long-term sickness, the national economy is losing an estimated £212 billion annually in lost output and welfare costs.

To combat this, the Keep Britain Working campaign has been established—a landmark initiative designed to bridge the gap between healthcare, employment, and disability inclusion.

At the heart of this movement is a steering committee of "Vanguards"—industry leaders tasked with shaping the future of British employment. Among them is Morgan Lobb, CEO of VERCIDA, whose expertise in inclusive employer branding and talent attraction is helping to anchor the campaign’s mission in real-world accessibility.

What is the Keep Britain Working Campaign?

Led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, the Keep Britain Working review and subsequent campaign represent a fundamental shift in how the UK views workplace health. It is not merely a "back-to-work" program; it is a systemic reform aimed at prevention, intervention, and retention.

The campaign is built on three core pillars:

1. The Healthy Working Lifecycle: A framework that moves away from reactive "sickness management" toward proactive health support at every stage of employment.
2. The Vanguard Phase (2026–2029): A three-year intensive period where lead employers—including VERCIDA, Google, and British Airways—test and refine new workplace health standards.
3. The Workplace Health Intelligence Unit (WHIU): A new data-driven body launching in 2026 to provide employers with the benchmarking and evidence needed to prove that "good work" is a clinical health outcome.

Why Now? The Economic and Social Mandate

The statistics are a wake-up call for UK PLC. Since 2019, the number of people leaving the workforce due to health issues has risen by 800,000. Without intervention, this could rise by another 600,000 by 2030.

The campaign argues that the current "Fit Note" system is broken—93% of fit notes simply declare someone "not fit for work," often ending their career prematurely. Keep Britain Working proposes a Workplace Health Provision (WHP), which focuses on "Stay-in-Work" plans and reasonable adjustments, integrated directly with the NHS App.

VERCIDA’s Role: Morgan Lobb as a Vanguard

As a member of the steering committee, Morgan Lobb brings VERCIDA’s decade of experience in inclusive recruitment to the national stage. VERCIDA has long championed the idea that an inclusive culture is the best preventative medicine for workplace attrition.

"For too long, disability and health have been treated as compliance issues," says Lobb. "Through Keep Britain Working, we are shifting the narrative. We want to ensure that every employer in the UK has the tools to keep their best talent, regardless of their health journey."

By sitting on the Vanguard Taskforce, Lobb ensures that the campaign's reforms are:

• Accessible for SMEs: Ensuring that smaller businesses can implement these standards without the overhead of a multinational.
• Rooted in DEI: Making sure disability inclusion isn't an "add-on" but a core metric of the new Healthy Working Standard.
• Data-Informed: Leveraging VERCIDA's unique insights into candidate behavior and employer transparency to drive better outcomes.

The Roadmap to 2029

The goal of the campaign is to move from "testing" to "transformation." By 2029, the Keep Britain Working initiative aims to have established a voluntary certified standard for employers. This will allow businesses to demonstrate their commitment to workforce health, much like a "Cyber Essentials" or "ISO" accreditation, but for human capital.

How Employers Can Get Involved:

• Join the Vanguard: Forward-thinking businesses are invited to help shape the national reform.
• Audit Internal Policies: Moving from "absence plans" to "stay-in-work plans."
• Engage with the WHIU: Utilizing data to understand how health impacts their specific bottom line.

Conclusion: A Healthier Bottom Line

The Keep Britain Working campaign is a recognition that the UK’s greatest asset is its people. By bringing together the government, the NHS, and pioneering leaders like Morgan Lobb, the initiative is setting a global precedent for how a modern economy supports its workforce.

As Sir Charlie Mayfield noted, "When businesses retain talent and reduce workplace ill-health, everyone wins."