Government Funds Free IOSH Occupational Health & Wellbeing Training for SME Managers in 2026

Government Funds Free IOSH Occupational Health & Wellbeing Training for SME Managers in 2026

Small and medium-sized businesses across England are being offered a unique opportunity to build workplace resilience and reduce sickness absence with free occupational health and wellbeing training funded by the UK Government.

Between January and March 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will provide up to £800,000 worth of funding to train 5,000 line managers from qualifying small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the nationally recognised IOSH Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing Certificate.

Supporting Health and Productivity in Small Businesses

The programme aims to help SMEs tackle workplace sickness, an issue highlighted in the Government’s Keep Britain Working Review, which found that millions of working-age adults are out of work due to long-term health problems, and small businesses often lack the resources and training to address this challenge effectively.

Replacing an employee who leaves due to ill health can cost small firms more than £11,000, while each day of absence costs around £120 in lost profit. Thes figures emphasise the business case for better occupational health capability.

What the IOSH Training Covers

The IOSH Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing Certificate is designed to give managers practical skills to support their teams’ physical and mental wellbeing. Delivered by International Workplace in partnership with Reed Learning, the course covers topics such as:

• How to recognise early signs of health issues such as fatigue and behavioural change
• Effective conversations about health, reasonable adjustments and workplace support
• Occupational health risk management and referral processes
• Promoting positive workplace culture and wellbeing practices

Flexible delivery options - including self-paced eLearning, virtual classroom sessions and face-to-face training at regional venues — make the programme accessible for line managers across England.

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible for this funded training:

• You must work for a small or medium-sized business in England (2–249 employees)
• You must have line management responsibility for at least one employee
• You must not have completed the IOSH training in the last three years

Managers can register through the campaign website and take part in the programme through to 31 March 2026.

Government and Industry Response

Minister for Employment, Dame Diana Johnson, highlighted the importance of equipping managers with the right tools to support staff health:

“Too often, small businesses lose skilled staff to health issues without the tools to support them, and that doesn’t help anyone … This free training changes that.”

Industry bodies have welcomed the funding, with Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, noting that access to practical occupational health training can help smaller firms retain staff, avoid absence costs and thrive in competitive markets.

Why This Matters for SMEs

Evidence shows that only around 21 % of smaller businesses currently offer wellbeing training for line managers, compared with more than 75 % of larger employers. Supporting managers with accredited training can help small firms create healthier, more resilient workplaces, benefiting both employees and business performance.

Contact the KNW Team for more information on IOSH courses