The Government has launched a review into the sickness absence system, saying it wanted to tackle the "staggering" £100 billion cost to the economy every year. The review will examine "radical" new ways of helping more people stay in work and reduce the cost of sickness to businesses as well as the wider economy. Ministers said that under the current system, employers had to bear the costs of short-term sickness, with taxpayers absorbing the cost of longer-term ill health. The Government said it was determined to end the "vicious cycle" of people being out of work then seeing their health deteriorate even further.
The Independent, February 2011
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