Ill-health and disability that prevents people from working costs approximately £19.4 billion a year in Wales, according to new findings from Public Health Wales.

This cost includes lost working days due to sickness absence, people of working age who are out of work due to illness and not seeking work, informal care giving related to illness, lost tax revenue, NHS costs and benefits payments.

Taking part in secure, fair paid work helps people stay healthier for longer.

It provides a sense of purpose and money for healthy food and a secure home to keep them and their family healthy. Providing early support to help people enter and stay in good work helps not just those families, but also the wider economy. Strengthening financial security is key to improving health and building a stronger, inclusive Welsh economy.

Ciarán Humphreys, Consultant in Wider Determinants of Health for Public Health Wales said: “In Wales, many people spend more of their lives in poor health, because the building blocks we need to keep us healthy, such as decent housing or good, fair work, can be weak or absent. We have seen a rise in people out of work in recent years relating to ill-health, especially mental health among younger people, and musculoskeletal problems in older ages.

"People with health conditions are more likely to enter work with early, tailored support, and to stay in work with engaged, flexible, supportive employers. This research shows the economic implications caused by ill-health and disability keeping people out of work, demonstrating the importance of investing in prevention to keep people healthy and support participation in fair work.”

Consultant in Public Health, Oliver Williams said, “Healthy Working Wales gives employers clear, practical support to protect and promote staff wellbeing. When employers invest in staff health and wellbeing, they create stronger, happier, more productive workplaces.”