British economic system very harm by long-term in poor health well being particularly ages 50-64

The research exhibits 10 % of all folks in that age group who aren’t in employment cite in poor health well being or incapacity as their cause for not working.

The figures shed new mild on the spiralling numbers of individuals out of labor attributable to long-term illness in Britain, which hit a file 2.55 million earlier this yr.

The Platinum Pound report, by think-tank Demos and not-for-profit housing group Anchor, exhibits nearly half these out of labor attributable to in poor health well being or incapacity are over 50.

It says the economic system may unlock about £6.6billion a yr by returning to pre-pandemic later-life workforce ranges.

The figures come amid the cost-of-living disaster, rising inflation and expertise shortages throughout many industries, and have led to calls to enhance public well being and take away “barriers” to later working to “future proof” the economic system.

The report says the variety of staff aged 50-64 has fallen by 182,000 since 2019 – equal to one-sixth of present job vacancies.

An further 330,000 retirees might also have stopped working as a result of they couldn’t entry versatile working, the report discovered.

Andrew O’Brien, director of coverage and impression at Demos, stated: “We need to do more to encourage flexible working, increase provision of occupational health and encourage employers to monitor the wellbeing of their workers.”