UNEMPOYMENT, DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

According to a survey commissioned by the Department of Health, unemployment was found to be the strongest risk factor associated with mental health disorders. People who are unemployed had twice the incidence of mental health problems, specifically depression, than those who were employed.¹⁹

According to the Office for National Statistics for the UK, in 1997 there were 5 million people of working age with "work-limiting" conditions. People with mental health problems are much less likely to be economically active than those with physical or sensory impairments.²⁰ Although the unemployment rate is high among individuals with a disability due to a mental health disorder, obtaining and retaining work are key goals for this group. According to the National Service Framework, responsibility for addressing these needs rests with the mental health services.²¹

 

The costs of mental health problems

In the UK, mental health problems are a leading cause of distress, illness, and disability and therefore carry a significant financial cost. Recent research indicates that:²²

*The total cost of mental health problems in Britain is an estimated £32 billion.

*More than a third of the total estimated cost (£12 billion) is attributed to lost employment and productivity.

Mental health problems make significant demands on the National Health Service (NHS), social services, employers, and society as a whole. Though over the past decade the cost of treatment and care of mentally ill people has remained constant in realm terms, it represents the largest single item of NHS expenditure. Mental illness accounts for approximately:²³

*10% of total National Health Service expenditures (the cost of providing treatment for mental illness is an estimated £4.2 billion);

*14% of NHS inpatient costs;

*14% of certified sickness absence.