Webinar: Tackling economic inactivity - local action on mental health and employment
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Long-term sickness is now the primary driver of economic inactivity, with mental health conditions accounting for a significant and growing proportion of this trend. This presents a major challenge for local economies seeking to deliver inclusive growth, increase labour market participation, and meet workforce demand.
National government has placed employment at the centre of its economic strategy, with a strong focus on reducing economic inactivity through interventions such as Get Britain Working, Keep Britain Working, and Connect to Work. At the same time, local areas are being asked to develop ambitious growth plans and respond to new devolution and local government reform opportunities.
This webinar explored how places can translate national ambition into effective local action - by integrating mental health and employment support to help more people enter, remain in, and progress in work.
You will hear practical examples of how local systems are:
- working with employers to improve job retention and job quality.
- supporting people with common and severe mental health conditions to access and sustain employment.
- aligning health services, employment support, and economic development strategies.
The webinar examined what works in stimulating more opportunities for those who need them, what national frameworks are needed to enable local delivery at scale, and how current reforms create a timely opportunity to embed a new, health-improving model of employment support.
For local leaders in combined authorities, local government, NHS systems, and employment services, this session provided practical insight into how mental health and employment integration can strengthen labour markets and support economic growth.
Speakers
Claire joined the Health Foundation in November 2025.
Claire leads a programme on work and health following on from the Commission for Healthier Working Lives. Her focus is on engaging employers to recruit, support and retain people with health issues or disabilities, and on ensuring work doesn’t negatively impact health.
Claire’s previous role was as Chief Executive of social enterprise Timewise where she led employer change projects around job design, health and inclusion for a wide range of private and public sector projects. She has also led the HR Consulting and Research Team at the Institute for Employment Studies.
Claire’s early career included senior civil servant HR roles in DWP and DECC. She has a Masters in Work Psychology and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Elizabeth joined Learning and Work in July 2024 as Deputy Director. She works to influence policy and practice, with a particular focus on issues relating to employment. Elizabeth has more than 12 years’ experience in employment policy and thought leadership, having held senior positions in the New Zealand civil service. Elizabeth has specialisms in employment, skills, and immigration, with a particular focus on labour market disadvantage issues. At L&W, Elizabeth has oversight of Employment research, policy and development, and provides leadership of work on the intersection of work and health.
Sarah is a Knowledge Broker with the PHIRST Elevate research team at the University of Edinburgh, where she supports evaluations of public health interventions delivered by local governments across the UK.
Working within the PHIRST programme, Sarah has contributed to evaluations spanning a diverse range of public health priorities, including exercise referral schemes, health visiting services, and workplace mental health initiatives. She specialises in translating research into practical, actionable insights, helping ensure evaluations deliver meaningful impact for local governments and while contributing to the wider UK public health evidence base.
Sarah holds a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh and previously completed a BSc in Human Sciences at University College London, bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to public health research and policy evaluation.
Dr Tatum Matharu is a Senior Delivery Manager for Health and Employment at the West Midlands Combined Authority. She works at the intersection of job quality, economic inactivity, and population health, with a particular focus on the role of employers in supporting workforce wellbeing.
Her work focuses on public service innovation at scale, bringing together local government, health systems, employers and the voluntary sector to develop and implement joined-up approaches to complex labour market challenges.
Tatum holds a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Birmingham, specialising in stakeholder engagement in regional governance.
Chair
Andy Bell is chief executive of Centre for Mental Health, an independent charity working for equality and social justice in mental health. Working in the voluntary sector for more than 25 years, Andy strives for equality and social justice through research, communicating evidence, influencing policy, and informing debate.
The Centre's research, policy analysis, evaluations, networks and training are designed to create a mentally healthier future for all. The Centre also provides training for employment specialists supporting people with mental illness into paid work.
