Fat jabs will get Britain working again injecting BILLIONS into the economy by ‘slashing sick days’, says Wes Streeting

FAT jabs could get Britain working again and inject billions of pounds into the economy every year, ministers believe.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said medicines such as Ozempic will slash sick days and benefit costs.

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A study estimates they could boost UK plc by £4.5billion a year — £1,127 for each of the four million eligible overweight people.

Reducing workers’ waistlines improves their employment chances and productivity on the job.

Slim staff also take five fewer sick days per year, on average, and cost the state £64 less annually, research by consulting firm Lane Clark and Peacock found.

Study author Robert King said: “Even if you’re getting a relatively small gain per person, it stacks up to a large impact at the population level.”

The Government is already trialling their use on obese unemployed people in Manchester.

Mr Streeting said: “These drugs could have colossal clout in our fight to tackle obesity and get unemployed Brits back to work.

“Excess weight is currently weighing down on our economy.

“These drugs will support our shift from sickness to prevention and be a game-changer for millions.”

He said the NHS will trial faster ways of rolling out the jabs, such as £830-a-year Ozempic, which now might take 12 years to get to all patients.

The study, presented to the European Congress on Obesity, compared people’s productivity before and after treatment.

The European Association of the Study of Obesity’s Prof Jason Halford said: “This could significantly boost the UK economy.”