Sick-note culture to blame for worklessness crisis, says Pimlico Plumbers founder

Overall, 9.25 million people of working age are now classed as economically inactive, up from 8.55 million in February 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics.

This includes 3.5 million economically inactive 50 to 64-year-olds, up from 3.3 million before the pandemic.

The UK’s tax and spending watchdog the Office for Budgetary Responsibility has described the situation as “worrying”.

In recognition of the problem, the Government has introduced measures to encourage people back to work.

Mr Stride last month unveiled plans to get 150,000 people signed off from work with “mild” conditions back into a job.

Senior Tories have long expressed concern that doctors, nurses and pharmacists are signing people off sick via a video or phone call.

Mr Stride said last year that GPs were signing people off “as being unfit for any work whatsoever” in nine out of 10 cases, although this was largely because of time pressures.

As well as helping to solve worklessness, Mr Mullins – who set up Pimlico Plumbers in his 20s after leaving school aged 15 – said a state-backed apprenticeship scheme would also help fix Britain’s skilled labour requirements.

It comes after he said earlier this year that selling his business to KKR-backed Neighborly for £145m in 2021 was a mistake.

He is now planning to launch a new company when a non-compete clause agreed with Pimlico’s owners ends this September.

The Department for Work and Pensions was contacted for comment.