More than 20,000 people have been added to the number of people who are economically inactive due to long term sickness in the UK over the past month.
The latest figure from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the number of long term has sick increased by 23,538 in March from the previous month to hit 438,042.
Last month’s figures showed the long term sick had grown by a further 7,000, while in March Health & Protection reported the number of people who were economically inactive due to long term sickness in the UK had more than doubled in the past year and was 25 times higher than before the pandemic.
The ONS told the BBC the increase was partly due to a rise in mental health issues in younger people and people suffering back and neck pain which was possibly due to home working.
