» Back to listing 2.5m adults in the UK are economically inactive due to long-term ill health

More than 2.5 million in the UK are economically inactive due to one or more long-term health conditions, ONS data has revealed.

Over half of this number (1.3 million) suffer from 'depression, bad nerves or anxiety’ but musculoskeletal issues also factor high on the list, with many people reporting interlinked health issues.

The data report, which covers Quarter one of this year, or January to March, shows that of the total off sick, 38 per cent report having five or more health conditions, up from 34 per cent in 2019.

According to the ONS statistics, it suggests that many people have interlinked and complex health issues, which might mean that they have more than one health barrier to hinder their return to the world of work.

1.35 million people are reporting a musculoskeletal health condition. Since 2019, problems with legs or feet rose by 243,000 (29 per cent) and problems with back or neck rose by 217,000 (28 per cent).

Long term sickness overall is also on the rise, with 36 per cent of UK adults naming at least one long-term health condition, up from 31 per cent in the same period in 2019.

Further information can be found at The Hiscox Risk Readiness Report | Hiscox UK.