Cornwall Council to join forces with government to tackle ill-health and keep Britain working
The council backs plans to support employees to keep people healthy and in work
Last updated 5th Nov 2025
Cornwall Council is to join forces with the Government to tackle the rising tide of ill-health that is pushing people out of work and holding back growth.
The joint effort, developed in response to Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working Review, will drive action to prevent ill-health, support people to stay in work, and help employers build healthier, more resilient workplaces.
The review tells us that, one in five working-age adults are now out of the labour force – 800,000 more than in 2019 due to health reasons, whilst employers are losing £85 billion a year from sickness, turnover, and lost productivity.
The report warns that without urgent reform another 600,000 people could leave the workforce by 2030.
In response, the Government will partner with employers to reshape how health issues and disabilities are managed in the workplace with the launch of employer-led Vanguards.
The Vanguards - including Cornwall Council, alongside household names such as British Airways, Google, Sainsbury’s, Holland and Barrett, and SMEs – are early adopters who will develop and refine workplace health approaches over the next three years to build the evidence base for what works.
They're committing to embracing the report’s healthy working lifecycle - which aims to reduce sickness absence, improve return-to-work rates, and increase disability employment rates – which government will work towards developing into a voluntary certified standard by 2029.
Cllr Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council, said: “It’s great to be able to show that business-led ideas to help Keep Britain Working can succeed in rural and coastal areas like Cornwall, not just in big cities.
“Our business community is incredibly engaged, with many employers leading the way in helping people with health conditions to thrive at work. This recognition is a real credit to everything they’re doing.”
To help drive this work forward Sir Charlie Mayfield will co-lead a Vanguard Taskforce with Ministers, bringing together employers, disabled people, workers' representatives, and health experts.
The Taskforce will work with Vanguards to develop the interventions and build the evidence for what works. This will inform wider reform by identifying what approaches could become part of the future employment landscape and drive adoption.
Sir Charlie Mayfield, author of the Keep Britain Working Review, said: "Britain is sliding into an avoidable crisis. Ill-health has become one of the biggest brakes on growth and opportunity. But this is not inevitable.
“Employers are uniquely placed to make a difference, preventing health issues where possible, supporting people when they arise, and helping them return to work. If we keep Britain working, everyone wins – people, employers, and the state.
“That’s why the action the Government is taking forward from my Review is so important. I’m looking forward to working with them and with employers, large and small, to keep people in work, unlock potential and build a healthier, more prosperous Britain.”
The Government has also committed to embedding workplace health as a cross-government priority.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden added: “Business is our partner in building a productive workforce - because when businesses retain talent and reduce workplace ill-health, everyone wins.
“That's why we're acting now to launch employer-led Vanguards as part of the Plan for Change, driving economic growth and opportunity across the country.”
Cornwall Council is the only council authority on the list, with six combined authorities on the list including Greater Manchester & East Midlands.