More than eight million working-age people now report health conditions that leave them struggling to work, with the UK’s very limited access to occupational health support a barrier to change, a major new report has said.
The interim report from the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, which is supported by the supported by the Health Foundation, has said this includes 3.9 million people still in work, an increase of 1.5 million since 2013.
These trends have resulted in substantial costs for individuals, employers and the wider economy, and risk deepening existing inequalities, the commission argued.
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Its analysis has concluded that around 300,000 people a year move from employment to being out of the workforce with work-limiting health conditions.
Once out of the workforce, they are almost three times less likely to return to work than those without health conditions, it added.
The report follows similar worrying conclusions reached by the Institute for Public Policy Research last month. Its cross-party Commission on Health and Prosperity concluded as many as 4.3 million people could be languishing out of work because of sickness and ill health by the end of this parliament (2029) if the UK does not change direction.
The Commission for Healthier Working Lives report is an interim report that intends to summarise the commission’s findings to date and identifies three key areas that will be the focus of its final report in 2025. These are:
- the need to be prioritising proactive initiatives to support worker health;
- more early and effective support to keep people attached to the labour market; and
- improving financial incentives together with employment and health support to help people back into work.
“Policy and practice gaps, such as for statutory sick pay and occupational health access, mean that support for workers with health conditions is often absent or comes too late,” the commission argued.
Drilling down into the findings, the report concluded that, over the past decade, the health of the UK’s working-age population has deteriorated.
More than eight million people, or 20% of those aged 16 to 64 years, now have health conditions that restrict the type or amount of work they can do, up from six million in 2013.
This decline in working-age health has had a significant impact on the labour market. A record four million people are not participating in the labour market because of a work-limiting condition, with 2.6 million citing long-term sickness or disability as their main reason for being out of the workforce.
“Alongside this rise in people out of work due to ill health, there has been a notable yet underreported trend: a significant increase in the number of people with ill health who are in work,” the report argued.
In 2023, 3.9 million workers aged 16 to 64 years reported being in work but with a work-limiting health condition, up by 1.5 million, or 64%, from a decade ago.
Policy and practice gaps, such as for statutory sick pay and occupational health access, mean that support for workers with health conditions is often absent or comes too late” – Commission for Healthier Working Lives
“While this reflects some improvement in their employment chances, new analysis for the Commission shows that workers with a work-limiting health condition still face a much higher risk of exiting the labour market,” the report argued.
“Each year, around 1 in 9 of these workers leaves the workforce, compared with about 1 in 30 of those without long-term health conditions. In total, around 300,000 working-age people a year move from being in employment to being economically inactive with a work-limiting health condition.
“Once out of the workforce, individuals with work-limiting health problems are almost three times less likely to return to work within a year than those without health issues. The likelihood of returning to work decreases the longer someone remains out of the labour market,” it said.
Crucially from the perspective of occupational health professionals, the commission has emphasised its findings highlight the critical need to support individuals with health conditions in maintaining employment or returning to work swiftly.
“Only 45% of UK workers have access to occupational health services, much lower than in many other comparable countries. Those who do have access express doubts about the quality of these services. Additionally, employers can face challenges in providing adequate support to individuals returning from sick leave,” the report pointed out.
“The fit note system, designed to help people remain in work, is not functioning effectively, leaving individuals on sick leave without necessary work or career guidance. Meanwhile, UK statutory sick pay is less generous than in comparable nations, with up to 2 million workers ineligible due to low earnings, increasing their reliance on the benefits system,” it added.
To turn this situation around, the commission has recommended the UK takes a more proactive approach to supporting worker health.
“Employers need to take a more proactive role in managing workforce health, supported by government incentives and better access to information, support and practical tools,” it has recommended, although its full recommendations will be contained in its final report next year.
“The public sector should lead by example, setting benchmarks for best practices, especially in high-stress sectors like health and education. Targeted measures are needed to eliminate harmful job practices and promote healthy working conditions.
“Efforts should prioritise early, tailored interventions to keep people with health conditions in work. These include developing a holistic, problem-solving service that accounts for the needs of smaller employers and the self-employed and improving access to high-quality occupational health services.
“To help people find a clear route back to work, we are also considering the introduction of a ‘right to return’ for those on long-term sick leave, enabling them to stay in the workforce through their current employer, or a ‘job-pooling’ service for those who may need to change employer,” it argued.
In her foreword to the report, commission chair Sacha Romanovitch said: “The new government has the opportunity to set a fresh direction. With the significant impact of working-age ill health on individuals and businesses, timely action is critical.
“The evidence is clear: if we can intervene early and provide the right support – whether a health condition is caused by work or not – people can stay in work. That is a goal that is great for individuals, great for businesses and great for society,” she added.
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