One in four young workers rate mental health as ‘poor’

Almost a quarter (23%) of workers aged 16-24 rate their mental health as poor, and are also the most likely to report that their job negatively impacts their mental health (34%).

A new survey conducted by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University reveals that around 6% of UK workers believe they may leave their job in the next year due to health, either to pursue a job that better accommodates their condition or to leave work entirely

Researchers warn that this suggests that more than a million people may be contemplating leaving their current job on health grounds.

Overall, 20% of UK workers say they are in poor health. These workers are twice as likely to say they expect they will not be in employment in three years.

The results are particularly concerning for younger workers, who are 1.5 times more likely to report poor mental health than any other age group.

Two in five workers (43%) aged 16-24 state they expect their health to deteriorate within the next year, the most of any age group. And 43% of young workers are worried that their declining health could push them out of work in the future.

Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said: “This new analysis suggests that without additional support, we could see a new generation scarred by unemployment and economic inactivity in the early years of their working lives. This could have major implications for communities, employers and local economies across the UK.

“Similar risks can also be observed for those on low incomes and those already in poor health. Without a national reset on health and work that expands access to flexible working, occupational health services and tailored employment support, many more workers could potentially leave work early due to ill health. This will provide a direct challenge to the government’s ambition to grow the economy and boost living standards.”

The nationally representative survey of nearly 3,800 UK workers also found that half of low-income workers (earning less than £25,000) are given paid time off for medical appointments, and that a similar proportion feel confident taking sick leave when they need it.

Work and health summit

The report is being launched at the Work and Health Summit in London today, with speakers including Sir Charlie Mayfield, who is leading the government’s Keep Britain Working review; former health secretary Alan Milburn; and Chloe Smith, the former work and pensions secretary.

The survey reveals a “divided workforce” which sees people in poor health and those on low incomes at significant risk. Workers on low incomes are significantly less likely to have access to job conditions known to support good health than high-income and middle-income workers. The survey found:

• Only 53% of low-income workers were given paid time off to attend medical appointments, compared to 79% of high-income workers
• Only 46% of low-income employees say they feel confident taking sick leave when needed, compared to 74% of high-income workers
• Just 16% of high-income workers say their employer does not provide occupational health services, compared to 42% of low-income workers.

The research also suggests that those already in poor health are less likely to be able to access the kinds of workplace policies and working conditions that could help them remain in employment:

• Just 27% of those in poor health have flexibility over their work location, compared to 53% of their healthy peers
• Only 44% of those in poor health reported they have autonomy over job tasks, compared to 69% of those in good health
• Only 39% of those in poor health report job security, in contrast to 67% of those in good health
• Just 37% feel comfortable discussing mental health with their employer, compared to 58% of workers in good health.

Lancaster University’s Professor Stavroula Leka said: “This new evidence suggests the UK could face more talent leaving the workforce due to ill-health in future years.

“The UK is facing a complex web of challenges when it comes to health and employment. The wave of workers leaving the labour market prematurely is not going to stop unless health is prioritised in the workplace.

“With younger workers and those on low incomes being particularly hard hit, action needs to be taken quickly to improve prospects and experiences before lasting damage is done.”

Redesigning work

The Work Foundation says work needs to be “redesigned” to ensure more of those who experience ill health can remain in work. They are calling on the government to prioritise:

• increasing the level of workplace support available to those in poor health, via holistic OH provision, strengthened sick pay and other leave policies, and enhanced access to flexibility at work
• improving job quality among low-income workers by strengthening access to key employment rights and protections and wider workplace health support
• providing substantial, additional support to young people to enter sustainable employment at the beginning of their working lives. This should include enhanced access to NHS mental health services, tailored employment support for those out of work, and a guarantee that all young people have the ability to take up good-quality work.

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