Plans boost mental health support

The government has announced new plans to help people with mental health problems to return to work.

Welfare reform minister Jim Knight said the plans to offer the right help early on “can end the downward spiral of people falling out of work into sick leave, and onto benefits”.

“We are all agreed that helping people stay in work is good news for them,” Knight added.

The government will publish the National Strategy for Mental Health and Employment this autumn. It also plans to double the Access to Work fund, from £69 million to £138 million over the next five years.