- There are nearly 511,000 extra people out of work due to long-term sickness since before the pandemic (July to September 2019 compared with July to September 2022) (across all age groups)
- 59% of people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness are aged 50+
- There are 1.6 million over 50s out of work due to long-term sickness, a 20% increase in three years (July to September 2019 compared with July to September 2022)
- More than one in three (38%) economically inactive 50-64 year olds are out of work due to long-term sickness
The number of economically inactive people aged over 50 who are out of work due to long-term sickness has increased by 20% in the past three years, according to new analysis from Rest Less.
Rest Less is a digital community and advocate for people aged over 50. It analysed a bespoke dataset from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which compares the reasons for economic inactivity by age group in July-September 2019 and July-September 2022.
Rest Less’s analysis found that the number of economically inactive people aged 50+ due to long-term sickness increased from 1.35 million in July-September 2019 to 1.62m in the same time period in 2022 – an increase of 270,000 or 20%.
Table 1: Economically inactive due to long-term sickness or disability
| Age Breakdown | July-Sept 2019 | July-Sept 2022 | Difference | % Increase |
| 50-64 | 1,153,679 | 1,375,217 | 221,538 | 19 |
| 65+ | 198,760 | 247,217 | 48,457 | 24 |
| Over 50s | 1,352,439 | 1,622,434 | 269,995 | 20 |
| Under 50s | 898,504 | 1,139,206 | 240,702 | 27 |
Exploring the reasons for economic inactivity, Rest Less’s analysis of the ONS data shows that for 50 to 64 year olds, pre-state pension age, the main reason for economic inactivity was long-term sickness or disability (1.38 million), followed by retirement (1.16m), followed by looking after family (535,000).
Table 2: Reasons for economic inactivity amongst people aged 50+, July-September 2022
| Reason | Number of People Aged 50+ | Number of People Aged 50-64 | Number of People Aged 65+ |
| Retired | 11,712,967 | 1,156,704 | 10,556,265 |
| Long-term sickness or disability | 1,622,434 | 1,375,217 | 247,217 |
| Looking after family | 613,825 | 535,290 | 78,535 |
| Other | 532,667 | 431,190 | 101,477 |
| Temporary sickness or injury | 68,558 | 61,663 | 6,895 |
| Student | 16,433 | 16,433 | * |
Table 3: Proportion of people economically inactive due to long-term sickness/disability by age group, July-September 2022
| Age Group | Economically inactive due to long-term sickness/disability | Proportion of total by age group |
| 18-24 | 207,712 | 8% |
| 25-34 | 348,330 | 13% |
| 35-49 | 583,164 | 21% |
| 50-64 | 1,375,217 | 50% |
| 65+ | 247,217 | 9% |
| Total | 2,761,640 | 100% |
| Over 50s | 1,622,434 | 59% |
Stuart Lewis, Chief Executive of Rest Less, commented: “We know that economic inactivity due to long-term sickness is something the government is finally taking seriously, and action is well overdue. A rise in long-term ill health has significantly reduced the size of the UKs potential workforce amongst all ages since the pandemic, but it is a particularly large driver of the reduction in available workers in their 50s and 60s.
‘Of the 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness, nearly 60% are aged over 50. Not only is this a national health issue with thousands of people suffering silently, but it’s increasingly an economic issue too – not least because many of these people want to work in some capacity, if the right opportunities were available to them.
‘It’s time to provide targeted support to struggling businesses to enable them to offer more flexible working opportunities as well as high quality training programmes to ensure workers of all ages can continue to develop their career. Financial incentives to individuals and employers, such as reducing the age at which employer and employee National Insurance contributions are no longer payable at, from 66 to 56 would also help encourage large scale corporate investment in the hiring, training and retention of older workers.”
Kim Chaplain, Specialist Advisor for Work at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “We welcome the increased political focus on the issue of economic inactivity among people over 50. These new stats make clear that long-term sickness is part of the challenge that the government needs to find solutions to.
‘Among the thousands highlighted within the ONS stats, many are currently stuck within, or outside, of an employment support system that does not work for them. What we would like to see is a more responsive and joined up system of support linking health and employment support in a way tailored to the needs of older workers.
‘Employers can play their part too by ensuring that they are offering workers the flexible work opportunities and the occupational health support that would give employees the opportunity to try and manage any health issues they might have within employment rather than having to manage their health full-time as long-term sick because they could not find the right balance in employment.”
Rest Less works with a number of businesses actively pursuing multigenerational workforces and who are offering remote and flexible working opportunities. Two examples are listed below:
Ageas offers flexible and remote working opportunities for people living across the UK and is a proud age-inclusive employer, offering inclusive and unconscious bias training to all its hiring managers. The company is recognised as a UK Top Employer.
Fuller, Smith and Turner, the premium pubs and hotels business, is currently recruiting for nearly 250 roles nationwide through Rest Less. Fuller’s is committed to age inclusivity and increasing the proportion of workers aged 50+ within its organisation. It offers shift and flexible working patterns.
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Notes to Editors
For media enquiries, please contact:
Aisling Gray
Head of Communications
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About Rest Less
Rest Less (restless.co.uk) launched in early 2019 and is a digital community for people in their 50s, 60s and beyond. Rest Less is on a mission to help its members get more out of life and offers content guidance and resources on topics spanning Jobs and Careers, Volunteering, Learning, Money, Health and Lifestyle and Dating.