Overview

• Britain is experiencing the worst sickness crisis since the 1990s, with 2.7 million working-age adults too sick to work.
• The 'legacy of the pandemic' is driving a rapid rise in benefit claims, with young and older adults most affected.
• The UK remains the only G7 country not to have returned to pre-pandemic employment rates.
• Spending on health and disability benefits is expected to skyrocket, with a 34% increase projected over the next five years.
• Efforts to address the crisis include a £2.5 billion Back to Work plan, aiming to boost the labor force by 300,000 workers.