Work, worklessness and health is an important public health issue at both local and national level and is highlighted in many health and wellbeing strategies, devolution plans and in the Five Year Forward View and sustainability and transformation partnerships for the NHS.
With combined costs from worklessness and sickness absence amounting to over £100bn annually, greater than the annual budget of the NHS, there is a strong economic case as well as a moral and ethical case for greater action.
Employment is a primary determinant of health, impacting both directly and indirectly on the individual, their families and communities. Unemployment is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity, including limiting illness, cardiovascular disease, poor mental health, suicide and health – damaging behaviours.
This set of infographics has been developed from the initial work and health infographics, released in 2016.(1)
It includes indicators at regional and local level and is based on feedback on the need for locally relevant data to support local stakeholders to make the case and inform planning on embedding health, work and worklessness across these issues.