Work and health: international comparisons with the UK

A report for the Commission for Healthier Working Lives

Economic inactivity due to ill health is a persistent challenge facing many countries. However, there are substantial differences in the extent of the challenge, which segments of the working-age population fare better or worse, and in the mechanics and scope of government work and health policies.

This report – one of a series informing the Commission for Healthier Working Lives – investigates how the UK compares with 14 other European countries in the employment of workers with long-term ill health or disabilities. It also reviews relevant policy interventions and practices from around the world to draw potential lessons for the UK.

Our analysis uses nationally representative data from 15 European countries – the ‘EU15’, comprising the EU members from 1995 to 2004, a period when the UK was part of the European Union. We show that, relative to its European peers, the UK underperforms in the employment outcomes of people with long-term ill health.

While workers with health limitations often face employment challenges, these challenges appear especially pronounced in the UK. In most areas, though not all, the UK is among the worst performers in the EU15. We see this across age groups but there are especially concerning signs for younger UK adults.

Key findings

Many workers with health limitations face employment challenges, but these challenges appear more pronounced in the UK than across many comparable European countries. Among the ‘EU15’ European countries examined, the UK ranks among the worst performers in most areas. Key findings include:

• The UK has one of the highest reported rates of health limitations among those aged 16–64 in the EU15.
• The UK’s employment gap between those with and without health limitations is among the widest in the EU15.
• Between 2018 and 2022, there was a general decline in employment rates for people with health limitations across the EU15.
• In the UK, the likelihood of being out of work for those aged 16–24 with health limitations more than doubled between 2018 and 2022.
• While the likelihood of being out of work for those aged 55–64 decreased for most EU15 countries over this period, it increased for the UK.

This report highlights a wealth of international examples of policy interventions that differ in strength, mechanism and scope. Careful consideration should now be given to what changes are most likely to lead to sustained improvements in the UK, enabling more people with long-term ill health or disabilities to benefit from employment and actively contribute to the economy.