Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, this week announced a range of proposed welfare reforms, aimed at tackling the growing issue of long-term sickness absence and encouraging more people back into work. She said the current system was “failing the very people it is supposed to help and holding our country back”.

Among the proposals she unveiled is the “right to try” concept, which seeks to provide benefit claimants with the opportunity to test out employment without the risk of losing their welfare entitlements if things don’t work out.
At face value, this is a positive and compassionate proposal. The idea recognises that many people receiving sickness and disability-related benefits are hesitant to attempt returning to work because of the bureaucratic nightmare and financial insecurity that comes with restarting the benefits application process if a new job doesn’t last.

The fear of failure, both financial and personal, is a strong deterrent. Offering a safe route back into employment, without the harsh consequences of being cut off from support, could give thousands of people the confidence they need to try returning to the workforce.

The Government’s interest in addressing this issue is also understandable from an economic perspective. With the cost of long-term sickness benefits soaring and a labour market still facing worker shortages, enabling more people to return to work is an attractive way to reduce welfare spending and boost productivity.

However, while the intentions behind the “right to try” scheme are laudable, there is a danger that, once again, employers may be left shouldering the burden of a policy that doesn’t go far enough to consider business realities.

Recruitment is already one of the most expensive and time-consuming aspects of running a business. From advertising roles, sifting applications, and conducting interviews, to onboarding and training new staff, the costs soon add up. For HR professionals and business owners, the last thing they want is to hire someone who is half-hearted about the role, knowing they have a safety net to fall back on with minimal consequence.

The risk here is that the “right to try” approach may inadvertently undermine the seriousness with which new employees approach job opportunities. If someone knows they can walk away from the job and immediately return to benefits, what’s to stop them giving up at the first sign of difficulty? This leaves the employer with yet another vacancy to fill, having already invested valuable time and money into the process.

We have long advocated that employers should offer a truly inclusive workplace to avoid overlooking some groups of people that might have a range of skills and talents the business can really benefit from. This population of hidden talent may well exist in those currently on disability benefit that the Government would like to see return to work, and it might just take a few reasonable adjustments in the workplace in order to tap into this pool.

However, for this policy to work fairly and effectively, there needs to be more than just support for the individual—there must also be a framework to support employers. A few possible solutions could include:

• Incentivised recruitment schemes: Grants, wage subsidies, or National Insurance reductions for businesses who take on candidates under the “right to try” scheme.
• Trial employment protections: Flexibility in employment law for a defined trial period, where the usual dismissal processes could be adapted.
• Access to job coaching or mentoring: Joint investment in support services that ensure the individual has help settling into the role—not just a parachute out.

Without this, employers may be reluctant to engage with the scheme—and understandably so.

While the "right to try" could positively shift the culture around work and welfare, it must be carefully implemented to ensure it doesn’t dilute workplace expectations or create additional risks for businesses. HR professionals and senior managers must continue to balance empathy with practicality, ensuring fairness for all while protecting productivity and team morale.

Those managers tasked with overseeing anyone working under the right to try concept will need to be confident in their ability to set tasks, monitor performance and provide meaningful feedback in order to maximise the potential success of any such scheme. Something we can support with through our comprehensive range of management training programmes.

The business community has a part to play in making welfare reform a success, but not at any cost. A well-supported, two-sided approach will be essential. Get in touch today to talk about how we can support your business with training and guidance towards an effective and robust management structure that is able to react to a constantly shifting landscape and engage with new approaches like “right to try” effectively. Call us on 01452 331331, complete the contact form.