News story

Managing sickness absence: funding available for innovative solutions

Businesses and organisations can apply for a share of £500,000 to develop solutions that will help SMEs manage short-term sickness absence.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions and Innovate UK
• Published: 7 October 2016
• Last updated: 10 October 2016 — See all updates

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

This news article was withdrawn on 12 May 2017

The closing date for submissions was 16 December 2016.

The cross-government Work and Health Unit is running a competition to find new ways of supporting small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to manage sickness absence at an early stage.

As well as improving individual wellbeing, we know that addressing sickness absence offers economic benefits for businesses, employees and the state.

We are keen to look at innovative proposals from those who know best what works for SMEs, and will offer businesses with the most promising solutions a government contract to develop their product or service.

This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition run in partnership with Innovate UK.

Competition information

This competition is open now.

The submission deadline is 5pm on 16 December 2016.

Any organisation can apply although the competition is particularly suited to SMEs.

We expect the Phase 1 contract value to be up to £60,000.

We expect the Phase 2 contract value to be up to £100,000.

Consortia may apply but one organisation must act as the lead applicant.

Find out more about Managing sickness absence: funding for innovative solutions

Published 7 October 2016
Last updated 10 October 2016 + show all updates

1. 10 October 2016

   Changed "registration" to "submission" so it reads – "The submission deadline is 5pm on 16 December 2016."

2. 7 October 2016

   First published.