Ahead of the next UK General Election, British Safety Council has published its ‘Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Manifesto’, setting out its policy calls on a future Government. These consist of seven key policy asks sitting within four policy areas: regulation; wellbeing; technology and the future of work; and skills.
50 years on from the landmark Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), British Safety Council, is calling on political leaders and policymakers to “commit to making the next 50 years the safest in our nation’s history” by creating a joined-up, government-led approach to health, safety, and wellbeing for the first time.
British Safety Council’s policy calls include:
- A dedicated Minister for Wellbeing, who would lead the cross-governmental development and delivery of the UK’s first National Wellbeing Strategy.
- Support for companies that invest in new and developing technologies (including AR, VR, and AI) to improve health, safety and wellbeing standards in the workplace.
- The inclusion of health and safety training spend to be included in any new Skills Tax Credit, to honour the legacy of the Health and Safety at Work Act and renew the Government’s commitment to statutory training.
- Adequate funding for the Health and Safety Executive (including the Building Safety Regulator) and for local authorities who hold statutory duties for the regulation and inspection of health and safety.
The policies in British Safety Council’s manifesto are founded on data showing that, in the UK, public health outcomes are worsening, and levels of workplace stress and anxiety are increasing, impacting health and wellbeing outside of the workplace.
The UK lost an estimated 32.5 million days to work-related ill-health and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2022/2023, and sickness and illness are at a 10-year high, with costs for poor wellbeing and poor mental health costing an estimated £122 billion per year.
For a full copy of our Manifesto, containing our asks of Government, please provide your name and email below.