New project to explore how improving health affects work
Posted on Tuesday 3 November 2026
Poor health affects people's ability to work in different ways. For example, someone working in construction may be unable to carry out their job while waiting for a knee replacement, while someone in an office-based role may be able to continue working but experience reduced productivity due to pain. This relationship between health and work is complex. People's ability to work also depends on factors such as age, employment opportunities and personal circumstances. A person's work can also affect their health, and sometimes people choose jobs that are better for their individual health needs.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the recently launched Establishing impact of Health interventions and changes in health on Labour Market outcomes (HELM) project will investigate how health interventions affect employment, productivity and unpaid work, including caring responsibilities.
The research will focus on conditions that commonly affect people's ability to work, including mental health conditions, musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions and obesity.
Researchers will analyse data from existing studies and from large linked health, employment and other administrative records). The project will also involve people with lived experience to help shape the research.
By examining how outcomes vary between different people and places, HELM aims to provide robust evidence to inform health policy and decisions about investing in interventions that support people's health and ability to work.