Whitehall officials have unveiled the ‘fit note' – the Government's latest attempt to slash welfare costs by tackling incapacity benefit claims. From next year, GPs must replace the traditional ‘sick note' with a new form on which they must list jobs patients are capable of performing, despite their medical condition. Around 2.6 million people currently claim incapacity benefit, and ministers want to reduce the huge cost to taxpayers by encouraging claimants to undertake work, where possible. Health minister, Ben Bradshaw, said: ‘We know that sickness absence is economically and socially damaging, and makes people more likely to drift into social exclusion and poverty. ‘Getting people back into work quicker is good for their health, as well as the country's finances.' In recent years, employers have accused doctors of encouraging a sickness culture – which costs the UK economy around £100bn a year, the equivalent to the NHS's annual budget – by signing people off of work too quickly. According to the CBI, 172 million working days were lost to sickness absence in 2007. The new form could slash absences by explaining to employers how patients with mobility problems, for example, could perform seated tasks. Whitehall officials claim the initiative could also reduce local authority welfare bills by helping people with minor conditions retain work, thereby reducing housing or council tax benefit claims.