The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in the UK is offering free places for certification courses to manage Occupational Health and Wellbeing from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health IOSH. The initiative is aimed at helping small businesses strengthen their workplace health and safety capability.
Free Participation
The one-day occupational health and wellbeing course, normally priced at more than £240, is being funded by the DWP and is available at no cost to eligible employers in England until 31 March 2026. Participants must work for an organisation with fewer than 250 employees, manage at least one person and not have taken the course in the past three years.
There is no cap on the number of eligible employees from the same business who can register and complete the IOSH certification, with multiple study formats on offer, including self-study online, virtual classroom sessions via MS Teams and in-person training at regional centres.
The free training will give line managers the practical skills they need to recognise early signs that someone they’re managing needs help, so they can have supportive conversations about health and workplace adjustments.
Back to Work Initiative
Up to 5,000 places are available as part of the programme, which is designed to support employers in tackling sickness absence and encouraging more people back into work by giving them confidence and competence in managing occupational health issues.
Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “We are pleased to see DWP devoting funds to upskilling SMEs on occupational health issues for their staff. Employee welfare is a priority for small firms, but we know that training courses about it can be put out of reach at a time of rising cost pressures.
“We welcome that around 5,000 SMEs should be better placed to look after the health of their employees, avoid sickness absence, and help them thrive in the workplace.”
Employers can find out more by visiting the website:
