People not looking for work due to illness hits record high
Business / Tue 11th Oct 2022 at 11:59am
THE number of people not looking for work because they are suffering from a long-term illness has hit a record high, latest official figures show reports BBC.
The fall in the number looking for work has helped to push the unemployment rate to its lowest for nearly 50 years.
The jobless rate fell to 3.5% in the three months to August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The number of job vacancies fell again, although the level still remains high with many firms struggling to recruit.
However, the squeeze on pay remains, with rises in regular wages failing to keep up with the rising cost of living.
ONS head of labour market and household statistics David Freeman said the number of people neither working nor looking for work had continued to rise over the past few months.
The economic inactivity rate – which measures the proportion of people aged between 16 and 64 not looking for work – increased to 21.7% in the June to August period, the ONS said. The number of those inactive because they are long-term sick hit a record high of nearly 2.5 million.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63204333
Adam
2022-10-11 12:50:01
Amazing what happens when people cannot get access to health care for a few years. Oh how people clapped as lockdowns utterly destroyed thier future health, education, employment and economy How much longer can the increasingly reduced number of economically active continue to support such a large burden of economically inactive. This is not being horrible just a simple fact of numbers
Theman
2022-10-11 14:34:06
I should think this has more to do with working the system than access to health care. Gp’s are too quick to sign people off sick. Some years ago I had cancer and had some long term minor side effects to the treatment. When I saw the GP they asked me how long I wanted to be signed off for, and was genuinely surprised that I did not buy into that option. I pointed out I employed about 40-50 people and they would all lose their jobs if I could not work. Needless to say they sent me to a specialist who quickly worked out what was wrong and sorted me out, and I only missed 5 days of work. A lot of people would have just taken the sick leave option, because that is either what the GP thinks they want, or the GP thinks they are saving the NHS money.
Max
2022-10-11 16:24:41
Illness?.... its not that, its due to high benefits!!!!!! Its not worth to work in this country. Illness is just a excuse! Thay dont want to work ,coz they have council house, benefits every thing for free that is the real reason!
Clare
2022-10-11 17:57:01
There actually are not enough jobs that pay enough . Even ten years ago there were ok paid jobs in Harlow. The wages here are awful and they want blood. When you have a disability you are limited and Employers are not compassionate anymore. I remember when it was law to employ a disabled person in a company, yet now, they refuse too because they don’t want to support anybody with their I’ll was. They just want robots. Companies need to install decent lighting that doesn’t trigger photosensitive people and people with migraine and autism. This goes for noise levels too. Drs just throw drugs at people to help them, yet the drugs don’t always work. Long covid is also an issue with employment, but I think employees have become less tolerant of people and not kind like they used to be. They don’t want to support people anymore.
Bert puttocks
2022-10-12 17:26:49
I do look forward to my giro arriving every fortnight 🍻
A
2022-10-12 20:08:08
Don't know about you Max, but looking at how much benefit claimants are entitled to on GOV.UK, I certainly couldn't live off it. I think you are spot on, Clare.
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