At Mental Health UK, we see this reality every day. The report’s message reflects what our work has shown time and again: to reduce economic inactivity, we must help people stay well in work and support those returning to work, benefitting both the employee and the employer.
We strongly welcome the report’s focus on acting early. Prevention is the foundation of everything we do.
When Charlie Mayfield spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he highlighted the fear many employers feel when talking about mental health at work. Through our training and consultancy, we help to replace that fear with confidence and understanding. We support employers to recognise the power of simple, reasonable adjustments that can make the difference between someone staying in work or falling out of it. Just as importantly, we help them understand where those boundaries lie, so they can balance compassion with clarity and consistency.
From manager training to therapeutic coaching, we help organisations notice the signs early and take action before stress and burnout take hold.
The report also calls for stronger support for people who are ready to return to work after a period of poor mental health. Our Into Work programme delivers exactly that, helping people to rebuild confidence, develop new skills, and re-engage with meaningful employment. We know that good work plays a vital role in recovery, offering structure, connection, and purpose.
Our own Burnout Report 2025 adds another layer to this picture. It found that one in five workers have needed time off due to stress or poor mental health, with younger workers affected most. Many are open about mental health, but too few feel safe to speak up at work. That’s why our training focuses on creating psychologically safe environments where everyone, especially young people at the start of their careers, feels supported to talk, and seek help early.
The Keep Britain Working report is more than a call to action. It reminds us that work can be both a cause of distress and a source of recovery. If we act together, we can make the workplace one of the UK’s greatest tools for prevention, rather than, as it is in too many cases, a driver of poor mental health.
At Mental Health UK, we are ready to work with government, employers, and communities to make that vision a reality, so that staying well in work becomes the rule, not the exception.
Get in touch with our Workplace Mental Health and Training team: [email protected]
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