There has been a sharp growth in the number of working age people suffering from chronic health conditions, according to the latest ONS data.
Government figures show that over a third (36 per cent) of the working age population reported they had at least one long-term health condition in the first three months of 2023 — a rise from 31 per cent in 2019, and just 29 per cent in 2016.
At the same time the number of people who are economically inactive because of long-term sickness has increased by over 400,000 since the start of the pandemic. This figure now stands at just over 2.5 million.
Of those economically inactive because of long-term sickness, nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) reported having five or more health conditions (up from 34 per cent in 2019). The figures also show of those who were economically inactive during this period, 1.35m people — around half of these respondents — said they were suffering from depression, bad nerves or anxiety. However the majority of these workers (over 1m) cited this as being a secondary health condition rather than the main cause of their inability to work.
Canada Life head of claims and medical underwriting Ian Ranger says these latest figures are part of a worrying trend – with the data showing mental health issues and musculoskeletal conditions as the main causes of economic inactivity.
He says: “Although hybrid working has obvious benefits, we may now be seeing some of the more negative side effects. Since the pandemic, we’re moving and interacting less, and this, coupled with a cost-of-living crisis, means that maintaining our wellbeing (physical, mental, and financial) is a real challenge.
“For many employers, remote working means it can be harder to detect signs of illness which leads to a risk of employees being signed off work for longer periods.
“Workplace insurers can play a vital role in helping people back to work, and hopefully in due course, help drive these numbers down. For example, early intervention services (with access to in-house registered nurses) can be a great way to assist both employer and employee.”
Broadstone head of health and protection Brett Hill says: “Chronic health conditions are increasingly prevalent throughout the UK as those suffering from long-term conditions face difficulties accessing diagnoses and treatment.
“This deterioration of health is a major headwind for the UK economy as businesses battle a drain on staff and productivity. It means employers are ramping up their investment in healthcare options from private medical insurance to the provision of greater support services like virtual GPs to keep their workforce healthy.”
He adds: “While the government’s recent focus on ways to improve access to occupational health services is most welcome, private medical insurance seems to be the elephant in the room when discussing ways of addressing sickness absence issues within the workforce.
“The government has rightly identified poor workplace health and long term sickness as significant factors holding back the UK economy, but it needs to be bolder in encouraging employers to invest in the full range of healthcare options to keep their employees healthy and at work as we fight our national health crisis.”
Meanwhile, these figures had led to calls for the government to spend more on preventative health. David Sinclair, chief executive of the International Longevity Centre says: “Higher spending on preventative health results in longer working lives, more consumption, more volunteering and more caring. The UK should follow Canada’s lead and spend 6 per cent of its health budget on preventative health.
“The nature of the challenge is more serious than painted in the data as it doesn’t take into account all older workers. Perplexingly, the ONS define working age as people aged 16 to 64 despite the fact that the state pension age is now 66 and most 16 to 18 year olds are not in work.”
He points out that ILC research reveals that the UK faces a shortfall of 2.6 million workers by 2030. “Our economy will wither without investment in prevention as the UK ages and becomes sicker.”
