The number of working-age people who claim health-related benefits has risen by 38% in four years, a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found.
In 2019/20, there were 2.8 million people in England and Wales claiming health benefits, this has now risen to 3.9 million in 2023/24.
The IFS said the increase is likely to cause a “fiscal headache” for the Government, with spending on health benefits up by £12 billion over the past four years.
The Government offers two types of health-related benefits, an incapacity benefit for those with a condition which prevents them from working, and a disability benefit, for the additional living costs of disabled people.