Of the people who were economically inactive due to long-term ill-health and received state benefits during the Office for National Statistics’ ONS’ 2021 consensus, the proportion who returned to work remained “concerningly small”, Broadstone has said.
According to the ONS' latest data, released today (26 February, 2025), 1.56 million of those on benefits at working age (18-64-years-old) in England and Wales were economically inactive due to long-term sickness. Of this cohort, 24% had Level 3 (A-level or equivalent) and Level 4 (higher education or equivalent) qualifications. Around 4% said they had worked in the last 12 months, while 59% said they had not worked in the last 12 months. Broadstone said this suggests that once people leave the workforce, the majority remain stuck out of work. Brett Hill, head of health and protecti...
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