To think part of the increase in long term sickness is the increase in retirement age?

[Lazykitten]

Thinking of the people I know who are long term economically inactive long term (I believe that counted as over 6 months) and nearly all I know who fall into that bracket are my parents and there friends. Dad was a factory sparky and mum was a cleaner. Dad stopped work at i think around 61, mum does part time caring now in her early 60s but really struggles and I can see her having to give it up soon.

Most of their friends had similar manual jobs and now in their mid 60s a lot are signed off sick waiting for pension. These are people who have had manual jobs since they were 15/16 and their bodies are knackered. They can't (and very little point) in retraining now for their last couple of years before they get the state pension.

I work in an office job so can feasibly see how I could work to my late 60s and beyond, but those who've done manual work for over 40 years have the wear and tear on their bodies that they simply can't. As well as other health problems & decreasing energy levels that come with ageing.

There's got to be a sizeable number of folk age 60-67 that fall in that bracket? And taking it further is it another stick to beat the working class with?

I think this is absolutely spot on.

I think it's a mixture. Lots of anxiety/stress related issues for younger people. And a whole range of issues for every age. But also I think you are right that older people in manual work may often be struggling.

My DH is mid 50s and is extremely fit and active. But he has always worked very hard in a manual job, often outside in all weathers. He is now finding it hard although he no longer works full time, and is hoping to take early retirement. He is OK at the moment but doesn't want to stay until his body collapses. Many of his peers either moved into the office or left and took jobs in the local supermarket or similar - because their bodies were no longer coping.

It's easy for politicians to say everyone needs to work until 70 (and financially I can see why) - but it will have a disproportionate impact on the blue collar workers! As ever!

A PP said how healthy she was compared to younger people due to lifestyle etc and I'm sure there is a lot of truth in that. Obesity was rare until a few decades ago, and people were more active. There was less processed food available and people didn't rely on takeaways - but one spouse could often stay home and cook because a single salary would provide a roof over your head back then. Things are so hard for so many people these days, it's almost a perfect storm for some. I don't know where it's going to end.....

I teach GCSE students but on a 1-2-1 basis. I'm in my 60s now and there's no way on God's earth that I could do a full day in a school. I have a dodgy hip, arthritis, sleep apnoea, a heart murmur, bipolar and various other bits and pieces and I simply wouldn't survive. I do as much as I can and can do no more.

I should, of course, have added the Government would like to see me back in full-time work.

This government has the attitude of killing people off before we can even retire 🙄
They're quids in then aren't they!

I don't think anyone should worry who have disabilities and long term health issues. The people it is aimed at are the people who have chosen benefits as a way of life. Mental health has become the new' bad back'...

@hcee19 you really believe that?
If you do you are beyond niave.

Was just thinking that @NoisySnail 😂

Letseeshallwe is far off base with this: "Because for the majority having a manual job keeps them healthier and active for longer."
I guarantee it does not keep one healthy. Repetitive injury is emotionally exhausting as well.

That kind of belief sounds like someone talking who has never done these kind of jobs and has no real understanding of what is involved.

The bottom line is that if someone has worked relatively continuously since leaving school, unless they are exceptionally lucky, full time work will get progressively harder with age. Humans wear out as everything does eventually.

ATOS and Capita were brought in to assess disability claimants under similar criteria as present in, wait for it, 2008.

The fact is the UK state can't afford more liberal welfare policies than it currently has and they are quite generous by OECD standards.

Inconvenient for the New Labour spruikers on here but the implementation of these measures coincided with the GFC and we've been going backwards ever since.

Anyone who thinks things are going to change with the likes of Starmer, Reeves, Kendall and Streeting in Downing Street and Whitehall is kidding themselves.

It will be back to the Victorian days “Sally died last night”.

My pension age is 68. My lung age is 78 years now. Think my lungs will be the end of me. Asthmatic on four medications and holds a Steroid Emergency Card.

Customers need to stop moaning to shop workers about things beyond our control- staffing, supply issues, price increases, the slowness of 93 year old Doreen in front of them in the queue etc. We didn’t decide to increase your paper by 5p or heavy rain in a certain part of the world affects the supply of fresh pineapple etc.

They don’t seem to understand that being moaned at for 6-8 hours a day affects our MH and many are on antidepressants. How would they like it if my colleagues and I went to their homes and moaned for 6-8 hours. Wouldn’t like it.

Customers need to ring head office to register their complaint/concerns. Moaning to us - may as well moan to a rock.

People moan but don’t do it to the right people.

I'm in a similar position to you sadly.
My lungs were further damaged by long covid too.

Yes I don't think things will get better with Labour. There will be a push on supporting people back to work, it may appear more sympathetic, but I would expect them to do something similar in policy terms.

The assessment criteria has been changed a great deal since then, much stricter than back in 2008.

I thought the UK had some very low unemployment & sickness payments? Germany and France are far more generous.

Unfortunately, because we have privatised social housing, rent support payments are super high.

I thought the UK had some of the lowest benefits in Europe.

And having lived through a previous Labour government l do think things can improve. It’s not like it can get worse is it?

I get higher rate pip. It doesn't even cover the extra costs associated with my disability

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow The UK does have some of the lowest benefits in Europe and a very low state pension.

Yes but we have more claimants

@GoodnightAdeline we also have some of the longest waiting lists for healthcare and extremely high inequality and child poverty. That is shown to increase mental health problems and entrench physical health problems.
A good healthcare system and low levels of inequality help to create far stringer economies.

But that’s the fault of bad government.

Never had my lungs x-rayed.

Had Covid a few days before the first lockdown. Only knew I had it after antibodies test later on. There were no test centres for 50 miles at the beginning. Then had Covid summer 2022.

Sadly that does not surprise me.

Well, you no longer need to claim Universal Credit when you are in receipt of your State Pension which is much higher than Universal Credit. There are exceptions to this such as if your partner is younger than you, but this is just the basic guideline.

Personal Independence Payment is in place due to the higher costs disabled people face. It's not in place to cover normal household bills, although obviously some disabled people will have higher heating and water bills due to their disability.