To be shocked that over half a million people under the age of 35 are out of work due to long-term sickness

There is a garden centre near us that employs adults with quite severe learning disabilities. Depending on their disability some plant seeds and prick them put, others serve on the till, one man always comes to ask what we want and to show us some plants, 2 ladies make tea and coffee and cut up cake to see in tea rooms. I'm not sure how much profit it makes but I always buy my hanging baskets from them. I'd hate to see it go under because these people are learning such good skills to help their independence. I look after my FS with learning disabilities and I'm hoping next year he might be able to do some work experience there.

"Yet there always seems to be an overlap between the people who moan about those on benefits and the people who moan about those working remotely"

Given someone moans about people on benefits and moans about people WFH, I could probably predict some more of their views with a high degree of confidence.

Before I retrained into a job that could be done wfh (this was pre pandemic) I was on disability benefits

I get so frustrated with the multitude of threads on MN where posters sneer at people who WFH, insist they can't possibly be working properly and everyone should be back in the office

Not only was I not "in the office" before covid, I wouldn't be able to work at all if I had to be in the office.

Lots of disabled people found themselves able to work as a result of increased wfh during the pandemic. Some are being forced to leave their jobs as companies are moving away from remote work

Yet there always seems to be an overlap between the people who moan about those on benefits and the people who moan about those working remotely (not saying this is you OP)

Made up illnesses - oh my you are a peach - try having ME/long covid - in my case they still can't decide which it is - but having lost 3 stone due to feeling constantly sick, sleeping all the time, having no energy (used to go to the gym/run 4-5 times a week - now I injure myself every time I try), I work, by the way, thankfully I have felxi time and use a fair bit of annual leave for days I can't physically get out of bed before 10am - it sucks balls and I fucking WISH it was made up - because then I could just decide not to have my life turned inside out

And what if you're a carer, saving the state millions, surviving on a pittance and therefore cannot afford to do this?

This is my situation. What do you propose I do to afford this that doesn't result in the state needing to care for my daughter?

You realise if society can justify not caring for its vulnerable, then there is no justification for supporting anybody else, no matter how hard they work?

And then if society is not prepared to support, we'll, society, why not just have complete anarchy, every man out for himself?

Not when you're 16 though.

There isn't any point being a "low earner". You might just as well not bother to work at all.

Tis the season, eh?!

Survival of the fittest, eh?
I suppose pensioners can just fuck off as well if they haven't saved up?
We should just walk by and ignore others?

I wondered exactly the same thing.

There is always the option of paying into an income protection/family benefit plan while still in good health. In the event you’re sadly too unwell to work, the policy will kick in and pay you roughly your salary.

Individuals should take more responsibility for their own living expenses, it shouldn’t fall automatically to the taxpayer to foot the bill when people are too unwell to work.

I've been out of work since my teens and I have been badly affected by MH issues, so the stats don't surprise me really. I'm unclear how they've gathered the stats though - I would not necessarily have been counted in them (I am over 35 now so not relevant) because I was on benefits due to being a single parent, or carer (never ESA or the UC LCWRA) but I've been on PIP for years. I have always found the NHS very poor in its support for MH issues even 20 years ago.

My health is far better now but I'm unable to work for various reasons- in many ways it's made me feel less alone that it's an increasing number of people affected, because I've had so much ignorance shown towards me over the years and perhaps now more people have relatives or other loved ones who are affected and have a bit more awareness.

In my extended network I know several youngsters unable to work. Two have FND and are dealing with unexplained fitting or loss of body control. One has POTS- she basically faints when she gets out of bed. All three use wheelchairs intermittently if they need to reliably get somewhere. They can walk in theory, but in practice can collapse at any point. That’s without taking time to think. Another has been hospitalised with an eating disorder. Oh and another who is tube fed and regularly hospitalised, a third who has an autoimmune disorder that flairs up and puts him in hospital. He’s trying to work, but has been let go for too much sickness.
Then of course those born with health conditions.

Young people aren’t immune to society’s ills.

I think it's only going to get worse with the CoL and AI. The world seems to have changed so fast in the last few years for the young.

Ooh ‘ark at you, you edgelord.

I know people with ME and the effect it has had on them.
But people who haven't seen it don't understand it

Fair point – I was reading it in the sense of ‘there are as many in x group as in y group’

My daughter has non verbal autism. You're exactly the type of person who wouldn't realis or see it.

My own mother was diagnosed with MS at 30, so well over two decades ago.

I suspect that these figures aren't atypical, just that people were less likely to report it as it wasn't as encouraged at that time.

Doesn't make me wonder esp considering the shit show the NHS is. I do wonder how many of those would be able to work if they had access to medical care and treatment and support for MH conditions.

You sound nice.

That's completely irrelevant, assuming the normal meaning of "as likely to".

WFH has surely opened up opportunities for people?