In the first of our new webinar series addressing national issues of local importance we look at the huge rise in economic inactivity due to long-term sickness. How can we start to tackle the root causes of worklessness locally and set people up to succeed?
Date and Time: 29 January 2025, 9.30-10.30
Chaired by: Matt Deegan, Radio and Podcast Host
Event overview
The number of people leaving the labour force due to mental and physical ill health is at record levels. The Government’s recent White Paper, Get Britain Working, comes as stark figures show almost one and a half million people are unemployed, over nine million people are inactive, a record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness. Young people have also been left behind with one in eight young people not in education, employment or training, and nine million adults lack the essential skills they need to get on in work.
Poor health and well-being are putting more people at risk of social exclusion and poverty, while employers are facing significant recruitment challenges and skills shortages. This brings huge societal and individual consequences as well as driving up welfare costs.
Hertfordshire is in-line with this national trend. Recent data locally shows that the number of people who are out of work and not seeking a job has grown at a dramatic rate over the past decade. These are not the officially unemployed but those who are ‘economically inactive’ due to a range of reasons, including long term sickness.
In the first of three webinars designed to take a more collaborative, locally led approach to key issues we bring experts from across skills, work and health leadership to examine the latest policy reforms to tackling economic inactivity and hidden unemployment.
Economic Inactivity and Long-Term Sickness: Recent data reveals that while Hertfordshire boasts higher economic activity rates compared to the national average, the number of people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness has surged in a decade. We will investigate reasons behind this trend.
Claimant Count Rates: Despite being below the national average, claimant counts locally are high, with varying rates of post-pandemic recovery from district to district. We will investigate the reasons behind these disparities, and the link to long-term sickness.
Policy Priorities: Assessing next steps for addressing economic inactivity due to long term sickness - should there be an inquiry as to why – and perhaps a pilot programme developed in response? Why have some parts of the county improved post pandemic and others got worse? What steps can be taken next to reverse these trends and build better pathways to work?
Who Should Attend:
- Employers
- Policy makers and local government representatives
- Healthcare providers
- Community leaders/Charity Groups
This webinar is part of a series of online debates which will inform the development of Hertfordshire’s Economic Strategy. The draft strategy will be shared with Government departments, planning authorities, businesses, investors/developers and the voluntary sector.
Date and Time: 29 January 2025, 9.30-10.30
Chaired by: Matt Deegan, Radio and Podcast Host
- Cllr Richard Roberts, Leader, Hertfordshire County Council
- Sarah Perman, Director of Public Health, Hertfordshire County Council
- Michael Wood, Head of Health Economic Partnerships, NHS Confederation
- Tilini Sharland, Service Leader for Beds and Herts District, Department for Work and Pensions
Webinar host: Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chair, Hertfordshire Futures