Key Trends and Outcomes

What are the main sickness and disability policy challenges that Australia, Luxembourg, Spain and the United Kingdom will need to address in the future? This chapter highlights the key outcomes and trends in these countries during the past 10-15 years in four areas: labour market integration of workers with disability and reduced work capacity financial resources of those people costs of sickness and disability benefit schemes and exclusion and inclusion errors of benefit schemes. In addition, it addresses two macroeconomic challenges: population ageing and future labour supply shortages, and the impact of changing labour market requirements on workers’ health. These challenges need to be taken into account if sickness and disability policy systems are to be reformed successfully.