London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The number of people out of work due to poor health is rising by 300,000 a year, according to analysis by a leading health thinktank.
People of employing age who left their jobs due to ill health were also three times less likely to return to employment than those in sound health, adding to the number of people declaring disability benefits, the Health Foundation stated. Official data has flashed hopes that the effects of the pandemic would disappear and the labour market would return to the position seen before the pandemic.
How do health issues affect employment return rates?
The foundation stated that, in addition to 4 million working-age people out of work with ill health, there were now 3.9 million people with work-limiting health conditions in employment – an expansion of 1.5 million since 2013.
Indicating that the UK has witnessed a significant increase in the number of working-age people with disabilities that impact how they do their jobs, the foundation’s report revealed that these workers were three times more likely to exit the workforce than those in good health.
While unemployment has risen only slightly since the onset of high inflation and the expense of living crisis in 2021, the number of people mourning mental and physical health issues has soared.
What impact has the pandemic had on the labour market?
Reports from the Bank of England have emphasised how a lack of workers in key industries has forced employers to spend higher wages, preventing costs from stabilising and having knock-on effects on the economy. Bank officials maintained interest rates at 5% at their last meeting, stating they wanted to see more data indicating a return to earlier levels of participation in the labour market, reducing price pressures, before they cut the cost of borrowing.
What challenges do employers face with health-related absenteeism?
The report stated that support for workers with health disorders “often comes too late or is absent”. It stated: “Fewer than half of UK workers have access to occupational health services, the fit note system is ineffective and statutory sick pay is less generous than in other countries.”
“While many employers want to help, they often lack the capacity or knowledge, especially smaller businesses,” it stated.
Sacha Romanovitch, head of the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, stated ministers needed to design a strategy that supports a healthier workforce. In the run-up to this month’s budget and an employment white paper expected in the autumn, Romanovitch said the government is required to clear the backlog of “Access to Work” claims “so that people with disabilities and health conditions receive the support they are entitled to without delay”.