New research from Legal & General (L&G) shows that over one million Britons are claiming benefits because mental and behavioural disorders mean they can’t work, an increase of over 25% in the last ten years.
According to Department for Work and Pensions figures, 1,031,700 people were claiming sate benefits in February 2012 because mental and behavioural disorders prevented them from working, up from 824,110 a decade ago.
Of this number, 158,370 claimants are aged between 45 and 49, an increase of over 50% compared to 2002 and 82,790 are aged between 18 and 24, an increase of nearly 30% over the same period.
However, the +60 age-group has seen the biggest rise (February 2012: 70,980 claimants) at 62.65%
Commenting on the analysis, Diane Buckley, managing director of L&G group protection, says: “These figures show how important it is for employers to provide good quality support for people in the workplace.”
L&G’s own data show that the largest cause of group income protection claims across the financial services sector is for mental health problems, and Ms Buckley adds: “Increasing pressures in the workplace such as changes in regulation and trying to deliver more for less, are all taking their toll.”
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