IFS report: The role of changing health in rising health-related benefit claims
This research finds the increase in reported mental health conditions is a continuation of the pre-pandemic trend rather than a rapid worsening following the pandemic.
Mental health conditions are becoming more common amongst the work-age population with 13-15% of them reporting a long-term mental or behavioural health condition, up from 8-10% in the mid 2010s.
The report also finds:
- Working-age mortality rates have consistently remained above their pre-pandemic levels since 2020. In 2024, the working-age mortality rate was 1.5% above the 2015–19 average. In 2023 (the latest year with data on cause of death), the mortality rate was 5.5% above the 2015–19 average.
- 36% more people were in contact with mental health services across England in 2024 than in 2019.
- Since 2019, there has also been a 12% increase in the number of people in England receiving antidepressants.
- Sickness absence days per worker were 37% higher in 2022 than in 2019.
