ONS chief ‘very confident’ UK is suffering from rise in economic inactivity Economics Professor Sir Ian Diamond said he was "very confident" that the UK was suffering from a rise in health-related economic inactivity, despite question marks about the quality of the data.
Labour survey failing because Brits don’t answer phones anymore, Bank official says Economics The Bank of England’s chief economist has warned that improving official statistics might prove to be a “formidable” challenge due a distinctively British characteristic. For months policymakers have struggled with unreliable data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which has made it very difficult to get a clear picture of the UK’s labour market. [...]
Rachel Reeves puts £240m into new back to work ‘trailblazers’ Economics Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a £240m funding boost for the rollout of local services tasked with getting the long-term sick back into work. Ahead of the Budget, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that tackling rising economic inactivity would be a core economic priority for his government. “We will always help those who cannot support [...]
Feeling like a hero for coming to work while sick? Well, you’re not August 8, 2024 You might feel like a hero for battling through a cold, but there's a hidden cost for your company and the economy, writes Paul Schreier
Britain is unwell: Four charts explaining the UK’s long-term sick problem July 27, 2024 The topic of sick leave was back in the headlines this week after a health adviser to the government declared that the long-term sick must be forced to look for jobs to cut welfare costs and reduce the UK’s reliance on immigration.
Labour’s growth push continues with ‘fundamental’ welfare reform promised July 23, 2024 Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, said that her department would become “a genuine department for work” as the new government attempts to tackle the rise in economic inactivity. “DWP has focused almost entirely on the benefits system, and specifically on implementing Universal Credit,” she said in a speech in Barnsley. “Nowhere near enough [...]
Government plan to get people back into work and tackle economic inactivity announced July 11, 2024 Labour has laid out its first steps to get people back into work as the new government attempts to tackle the worrying rise in economic inactivity.
Addressing the rise in long-term sickness could unlock £57bn windfall, research shows June 25, 2024 Reintegrating between half and three-quarters of those who have dropped out of the workforce since 2020 could generate anywhere between £35bn and £57bn over the next five years, the analysis suggests.
UK households would be £4,300 richer per year if pay growth had matched Germany and the US June 25, 2024 Households would be £4,300 a year better off if pay growth in the UK had matched average wages in Germany and the US since 2010, according to a new study.
Focus on health to cut ballooning welfare bill, new report argues June 20, 2024 The next government should focus on addressing underlying health conditions rather than embarking on a benefits "clampdown", a new report has argued.