Wellbeing | 2 in 5 young workers say declining health could push them out of work

A new survey conducted by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University reveals one in 17 (6%) UK workers believe they may leave their job in the next 12 months due to their health, either to pursue a job that better accommodates their health condition or to leave work entirely due to health reasons.

Researchers warn this suggests over a million people may be contemplating leaving their current job on health grounds.

Overall, one in five UK workers say they are in poor health (20%). These workers are twice as likely to say they expect they will not be in employment in three years’ time.

The results are particularly concerning for younger workers, who are 1.5 times more likely to report poor mental health than any other age group. Almost a quarter of young workers aged 16-24 (23%) rated their mental health as poor and they are also the most likely to report that their job negatively impacts their mental health (34%).