Long-term illness is driving a staggering eight million Brits — one in five working-age adults — out of the workforce, a report has shown.
While 4.3million with health problems aren't working at all, 3.9million are in work but suffer a condition that affects their ability to stay in full-time employment.
The number of Brits too ill to work has increased by 37 per cent over the last decade, from around 6million, according to new figures from the Commission for Healthier Working Lives.
The increasing toll of obesity and its related conditions, mental health problems and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic is all thought to be behind the rise.
Some 300,000 people with health conditions leave the workforce every year, The Telegraph reports.
It adds that the Commission for Healthier Working Lives has called for reform of sick pay to help better support phased returns to work.
However, delays in accessing healthcare could be making the problem worse, as one in three unemployed people of working age are also on the NHS waiting list.
The report also revealed that the menopause is adding to Britain’s sick note culture with 60,000 women off work with long-term symptoms.
These absences cost the economy £1.5 billion a year, analysis by the NHS Confederation, which represents health organisations, estimated.
The report found that women suffering severe mental or physical symptoms are less likely to be in employment compared with the rest of the population, and twice as likely to be economically inactive due to health problems.
Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 when the ovaries stop producing oestrogen, which causes periods to stop and can lead to hot flushes and insomnia.
About 4.5 million women in the UK are menopausal.
Researchers further found that absenteeism from work due to heavy and painful periods, endometriosis, fibroids and ovarian cysts costs the UK economy £11billion a year.
It argued that every extra £1 invested in obstetrics and gynaecology services to speed up access to care will result in an £11 return on investment.
In the UK, 750,000 women are on NHS waiting lists for gynaecology services, and 83 per cent of those with long-term conditions say they struggle to work.
The report, which involved analysis by the consultancy London Economics, makes a series of policy recommendations including increasing research funding for women’s health conditions and improving education for doctors.
Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘This report highlights the urgent need for sustainable funding to support the ten-year Women’s Health Strategy for England, and women’s health more broadly.
‘The findings demonstrate that investing in women’s health services is not merely a matter of improving health outcomes; there is also an economic imperative that has far-reaching benefits across our society.
‘Investment in women’s health services can yield an estimated return of £11 for every additional £1 spent per woman in England, showcasing the economic viability of such a commitment.
‘By addressing women’s health more effectively, we can alleviate substantial economic burdens, such as absenteeism and lost productivity... benefiting businesses and the economy as a whole.
‘Most importantly these measures would help to ensure every woman gets the support they deserve when they are faced with health challenges.
‘Now is the time for decisive action, and we urge the government to include these critical measures in their ten-year health plan.’
It comes as a separate interim report by the Commission for Healthier Working Lives found an average of 300,000 people a year have left the workforce with ill health over the past decade.
The study calls for early support for workers with health conditions to remain in or return to work amid a ballooning benefits bill.
On average between 2014 and 2023, just 3.6 per cent of economically inactive people aged 16 to 64 with work-limiting health conditions moved into employment each year.
This is nearly three times lower than the rate for those without long-term health conditions (9.5 per cent).
People with work-limiting conditions are also three times more likely to move from employment to inactivity compared to those without long-term health conditions, according to the Commission, which was established by the Health Foundation think-tank.
Sacha Romanovitch, chairman of the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, said: ‘When people have secure, fulfilling work, they can support their families and contribute to society, which in turn benefits their health.
‘If we intervene early and provide the right support, people can stay at work for longer. That is a goal that is great for individuals, great for businesses and great for society.’
