Two thirds of those claiming incapacity benefits are doing so for mental health problems, official data has shown.
Fresh figures reveal that thousands of people each month are being deemed incapable of work as a result of mental health issues. On average, most claimants have 2.7 health conditions.
Two million people are receiving universal credit health benefits, figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show. This is an increase of 400,000 in a year.
Some 69 per cent of them have been judged unfit to do any work.
Two thirds of those claiming incapacity benefits are doing so for mental health problems, official data has shown
PA
DWP has unveiled reforms which would offer intensive job support for those judged to be long-term sick. It would also overhaul the sick note system and force more people with mental health conditions to seek work.
But many of the reforms are not expected to be rolled out for another year.
It is thought that the cost of supporting those on sick leave could rise by tens of billions of pounds over the course of the next parliament.
The figures show that, of all assessments carried out in the last two years, 69 per cent of them involved "mental and behavioural disorders".
Some 538,000 of them were judged to have no prospect of being able to look for work.y
Nearly 50 per cent of claims saw back and joint problems cited.
Cases which cited nervous diseases such as chronic pain and metabolic problems made up 15 per cent of cases. Heart disease and other circulatory problems and digestive illnesses were cited in over 20 per cent of cases.
Terminal illnesses and cancer are thought to be under-represented in the data, as it does not yet cover all claims.
The Resolution Foundation think-tank said the data suggests "Britain has a larger, but sicker workforce than previously thought".
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A senior economist at the thinktank, Hannah Slaughter, said: "Tackling rising ill health is a huge social and economic challenge that we'll be facing throughout the 2020s, as will getting the UK employment back up to and beyond pre-pandemic levels."
But a DWP spokesman said: “We are taking the long-term decisions to help everyone who can work to do so, improving lives and growing the economy.
“Our landmark welfare reforms will cut the number of people due to be put onto the highest tier of incapacity benefits by over 370,000 and instead give them personalised support, while our Chance to Work Guarantee will enable people to try work without fear of losing their benefits.
“In total our £2.5bn Back to Work Plan will help over a million people to break down barriers to work, including those with disabilities and long-term health conditions.”
