Image created by AI
Mental health keeps young Brits out of the job market
The worsening mental health of young people in the UK is increasingly keeping them out of the labor market.
A recent report showed an increase in the number of 16-24 year-olds that can’t work due to long-term sickness, writes Bloomberg.
In England, there’s been an increase in the number of 17-19 year-olds with a probable mental disorder, according to another report.
Young people’s mental health was worsening even before Covid-19 but the pandemic’s restrictions and its burden on the health care system have accelerated the negative trend.
In addition, some expert say UK health services have done a poor job in allocating resources to treating mental illness.
so what?
Aside from being a human problem, the worsening health of young people make it more expensive for businesses to find the workers they need. That adds to inflation and hurts the country’s prosperity. 
Reference shelf:
Britain’s Youngest Workers Are Too Sick to Work (Bloomberg)
Britain’s Economic Health Is Withering With Sick Workers on the Sidelines (New York Times)
More by WONKedition:Brits keep eating bacon despite economic crisis
. 
. 
. 
