Sickness bill costs £85bn year, says new report, which warns of 'economic crisis'

The UK is facing an "economic inactivity crisis" as employers are losing an estimated £85bn a year in costs linked to sickness and poor workplace health, a landmark report has found.

More than one in five working-age people are now out of work and not looking for work - more than comparator countries - which is costing the UK £212bn a year, the Mayfield review said.

Its author, former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield, says poor health "has become one of the biggest brakes on growth and opportunity," but says it is not inevitable.

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The report, published on Wednesday, says there are now 800,000 more people out of work now than in 2019 due to health problems, and without "decisive action" to address this, another 600,000 people will