Britain’s poor record on health costs economy £43bn a year, says report

Thinktank urges ministers to make reducing long-term sickness health equivalent of drive for net zero

Britain's poor record on health is costing the economy 43bn a year and cutting the annual incomes of individuals affected by long-term sickness by up to 2,200 a year on average, a report says.

With official figures showing more days lost to sickness than at any time since 2004, the Institute for Public Policy Research said improving the country's health was vital both for the economy and to boost the incomes of disadvantaged groups.