End of the sick note? GPs should be barred from signing young people off work in bid to curb youth jobs crisis, Government review says

Résumé détaillé

Alan Milburn's long-awaited review of the youth jobs crisis will warn the traditional 'fit note' system is failing a generation of young people and condemning many to a life on benefits.

Published: 22:12 GMT, 10 November 2026 | Updated: 22:25 GMT, 10 November 2026

Young people are to be barred from going on long-term sickness benefits based on a note from their family doctor.

Alan Milburn's long-awaited review of the youth jobs crisis will warn the traditional 'fit note' system is failing a generation of young people and condemning many to a life on benefits.

The study, which is set to be published next week, will call for a shake-up to require the under-25s to discuss their problems with new 'community work and health teams', who will draw up plans to help support them back into work instead of simply signing them off as unfit.

The fit note system has been controversial for years, with critics warning that GPs have little incentive to tell their patients they should go back to work or get a job. Official figures show that 93 per cent of the millions of notes issued by GP practices last year were marked 'not fit for work'.

The last Tory government's plans to reform the system were quietly abandoned by Labour last year.

But they now look set to be revived, with ministers expected to back Mr Milburn's findings, which could eventually be extended to cover older workers.

Mr Milburn told the Daily Mail: 'A fit note plunges too many young people into the benefits system when it should be about keeping them in work.

'GPs are expected to make too a quick judgement that can inadvertently halt someone's entire working future.

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