In Yorkshire, sickness keeps more people out of work than unemployment
New figures show 39% of people in workless households in Yorkshire and The Humber are not working due to illness or disability. The data from ONS suggests that chronic health conditions, rather than lack of jobs, are the dominant barrier to employment in the region.
The findings, based on ONS Household Annual Population Survey data for 2024, show that more than 4 in 10 people living in workless households are not actively job-seeking because they’re long-term sick or disabled. In some regions, this figure is over 50%.
This emerging crisis is especially stark in:
- Northern Ireland, where 50.6% of people in workless households report long-term sickness as the reason for not working.
- Scotland and Wales, both at over 43%.
- North West England, where 43% cite long-term sickness, compared to just 10% unemployed.
By contrast, the proportion of people not working due to unemployment is significantly lower, as little as 5.9% in Northern Ireland and just 6.5% in Wales.
Where Sickness Is Driving Worklessness the Most
The latest ONS figures show stark regional differences in the impact of long-term sickness on employment. While health is the number one reason for economic inactivity nationwide, some parts of the UK are hit much harder than others.
| Reason for not working for people living in workless households | |
| Area name | Sick/disabled |
| Northern Ireland | 50.6 |
| Scotland | 43.4 |
| Wales | 43.3 |
| North West | 43 |
| North East | 41 |
| West Midlands | 40 |
| United Kingdom | 39.2 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 39 |
| East Midlands | 38.8 |
| London | 38 |
| South West | 33.7 |
| South East | 33.3 |
| East of England | 32.8 |
Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of people in workless households citing sickness or disability as the reason they’re not working — at 50.6%, this is more than half of all cases. High rates are also seen in Scotland (43.4%), Wales (43.3%), the North West (43.0%), and the North East (41.0%). These contrast sharply with regions like the East of England (32.8%), South East (33.3%), and South West (33.7%), where the figures are notably lower.
The Role of Employers: Prevention Starts at Work
With long-term sickness now the leading cause of worklessness in many regions, the case for preventative workplace health support has never been stronger.
YuLife, the all-in-one insurance and wellbeing employee benefit provider, works with over 1,000 UK businesses to help employees build healthier habits and access early mental and physical health support before issues become long-term problems. From guided mindfulness and gamified movement goals to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and access to virtual GPs, YuLife’s preventative approach is helping reduce the risk of sickness-related inactivity across sectors.
At the same time, YuLife’s Group Income Protection offering, developed in partnership with MetLife UK, goes beyond traditional financial cover. By combining financial security with proactive wellbeing tools, the proposition helps employees stay well, get early support, and return to work faster after periods of absence. It’s a complete end-to-end solution that meets the moment, especially in regions hardest hit by health-driven worklessness.
Sammy Rubin, CEO and Founder of YuLife, comments: “We know that prevention works, but it has to start early, long before someone ends up on long-term sick leave. By turning everyday wellbeing into something visible, trackable, and rewarding, we help people take small steps that add up to major health outcomes. And for employers, that’s not just good for people, it’s good for business too.”