Tories pledge £700m to end 'sick note culture'

The Conservatives have pledged almost £730m to expand NHS mental health treatment in England as part of moves to cut rising welfare costs if they win the general election.Funding talking therapies such as counselling services for an extra 500,000 people would help save the economy £12bn a year by ensuring more working age people currently claiming benefits have a job, the Conservatives said.Since the pandemic,…