Record High on Sickness Benefits as 9.4 Million Stay Out of Workforce

• Record high of 2.8 million people on long-term sickness benefits, highest since records began • 9.4 million people aged 16-64 economically inactive - not working or seeking work • Long-term sickness is the most common reason for inactivity • Sustained pay growth suggests inflationary pressures from the jobs market are cooling slowly • Number of people in work dropped below 33 million for the first time since October 2022