In the 70s, Britain developed an unfortunate nickname: the sick man of Europe.

Listen to this article

It was used to describe our failing economy, exemplified by never-ending strikes, out-of-control inflation and our need for an IMF bailout.

For all our current economic woes, the moniker isn’t used much these days - but perhaps we’re still the sick man of Europe in a different way? In fact, in a far more literal way. Because compared to almost every other developed nation, the UK’s rates of disability and long-term sickness are extraordinarily high.

A new government-commissioned investigation found that the number of 16-24 year-olds reporting health conditions that limit their ability to work increased by 77 per cent between 2015 and 2024. That’s equivalent to 1.2 million people. Nearly half of them were for mental health conditions.

Meanwhile, 11 million sick notes were issued last year, that’s 40,000 a day, 93 per cent of which declared........

© LBC