Responding to the Institute for Fiscal Studies' (IFS) report showing a substantial rise in health-related benefit claims across England and Wales Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“This new report is yet more evidence of the increasing impact of ill health. We know many of the people on health-related benefits will be on NHS waiting lists – for both physical and mental health care. It is clear that improving NHS performance to get people healthy again is not just good for the health service and patients but also for the economy.

“Our recent analysis with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shows that reintegrating between half and three-quarters of people who have dropped out of the workforce for reasons of ill health since 2020 could deliver an estimated £109-177 billion boost to the UK’s GDP (2-3 per cent in 2029) and unlock £35-57 billion in fiscal revenue over the next five years.

“We welcomed the Secretary of State’s pledge that his department will deliver billions of pounds in economic growth. We have got to change the argument about health and demonstrate that it is an investible proposition. But reform will not come for free. The Darzi review has highlighted that NHS is in desperate need of capital investment, which will be key to boosting productivity.  

“What we also want to see is cross-government co-operation, collaboration and investment on health policy, recognising that that most policy that impacts people’s health is made outside the NHS. This should be focused not just on the NHS, but across the social determinants of health to improve the health of our nation as part of the prevention agenda that Darzi rightly underscores.”