Improving our Nation’s Health: A Whole-of-Government Approach to Tackling the Causes of Long-Term Sickness and Economic Inactivity

The UK is at a crossroads when it comes to the nation’s health. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, pressures on the healthcare system have continued to rise despite health spending being at record highs.

The impact of this pressure is seen in the stark rise in the number of people out of the workforce due to long-term illness. While many countries saw this economic inactivity rise post-pandemic, the UK is alone among peers in seeing it continue to increase – all others have returned to their normal levels or below.

Many thousands of working-age people in England who might otherwise be in stable employment are out of...