Almost ten percent of people who are economically inactive due to poor health live in only 20 of the UK’s 372 local authorities, with these areas representing just 4% of the UK population. The new report has found that seaside towns and former mining and manufacturing communities fare the worst.
Analysis from Learning and Work Institute (L&W) informing the Commission for Healthier Working Lives shows that the number of people out of work and not looking for work with a health condition has risen across all UK nations and regions. But a closer look at variations in health and job outcomes across the country reveals persistent inequalities between local areas. The areas with the highest rates of economic inactivity in the 1990s are the same areas three decades later.
In Blackpool and Newport, where local economies have suffered twentieth- and twenty-first century decline in industry, around 1 in 10 working-age adults are out of work and not looking for work due to long-term sickness. South Ayrshire has experienced a more recent rise in economic inactivity following Covid-19 job losses. And economic inactivity due to poor health has been a longstanding issue in Belfast, with similar rates since 1951.
In stark contrast, Wokingham, an affluent commuter town, has the lowest proportion of economic inactivity due to poor health, at just 2% of the population.
Read the full report
An exploration of local variations in health and job outcomes across the UK
Read moreThe report emphasises how local context matters to health and employment outcomes, including the history of local economies and communities. In less economically buoyant areas, there are higher numbers of people who are economically inactive due to poor health. L&W argues that some of these people could work if the right jobs and support were available; instead, the design of the benefit system, the impact of worklessness on health, and a lack of support all create barriers to entering or re-entering the labour market.
In total, 2.8 million people in the UK are currently estimated to be out of work and not looking for a job due to long-term sickness – a challenge for the Government’s growth agenda. The report emphasises the importance of kickstarting economic growth across the whole country and ensuring that all areas benefit from plans to Get Britain Working. Previous local responses to economic inactivity have been limited in their efficacy due to failure from central government to provide the sustained, stable, long-term funding needed to secure change. There has also been insufficient join-up between efforts to create jobs and support for people out of work to find employment.
Naomi Clayton, Director of Policy and Research at Learning and Work Institute, said:
“Economic inactivity has a scarring effect not just on individuals but whole local economies, particularly in seaside towns and former industrial areas which are disproportionately affected by economic inactivity due to ill health. These deep-rooted inequalities in working-age health poses a serious challenge to economic growth. We’re calling for a long-term strategy for regeneration across the UK, with social inclusion, local leadership, and institutional capacity building at the heart of it.”
Sacha Romanovitch, Chair of the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, said:
“Safe, secure and fulfilling work is essential for people to contribute to society, make connections and ensure financial independence. Economic prosperity for the UK and for individuals depends on good work opportunities being available for all. We know that many people with long-term health conditions are eager to work and can contribute meaningfully to the economy yet often lack the support and flexibility they need. Employers and Government must work together to ensure people are given the opportunity to work, regardless of where they live. The key to this is prevention, ensuring people do not have to leave the workforce unnecessarily due to poor health.”
Simon Dixon, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), said:
“Today’s report shows that too many people continue to live less healthy lives because of where they live – meaning that they are denied the opportunities to thrive that we all deserve. These long-standing inequalities do not just cause harm to the people impacted, but hold back entire communities. For a government serious about growing the economy and spreading opportunity across the country, improving the health of our workforce should be a central ambition. As a minimum, this means ensuring that everyone – no matter where they work or what industry they work in – is able to access an ambitious minimum level of support to stay healthy at work.”
