Bleak winter triggers health risks, forcing us out of work

Sarah Coles, senior personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, comments on the publication of the ONS figures on how this winter is affecting people, showing bleak winter triggers health risks, forcing us out of work.

Key points from publication:

• • Almost a quarter of people (24%) have been struggling to keep warm at home in the past two weeks.
  • 1 in 7 (15%) have been worried they’d run out of food before they could afford to buy more – including one in four of those with dependent children.
  • Around 1 in 5 (21%) adults reported they were waiting for a hospital appointment, test, or to start receiving medical treatment through the NHS.
  • Around 4 in 10 (39%) employed or self-employed adults who were waiting for NHS treatment reported that the wait had affected their work, including 26% saying they reduced their working hours, while 7% went on long-term sick leave.

Sarah Coles says:

“This bleak winter is taking a horrible toll on people’s lives, and their health. Things are so bad that huge numbers of people are forced to work less, or give up altogether.

“Solving the headache of encouraging people back into work means taking a look at the whole picture, and solving some fundamental problems.”

Health risks:

“Millions of people can’t stay warm in their own homes and millions are running out of food – both of which pose enormous health risks.

“Meanwhile, one in five are waiting for medical treatment, which in many cases means they can’t work. In the great puzzle of why people are stopping work before retirement age, these are some key missing pieces

“The ONS figures show just how desperate things have become. The horrendous cost of energy means almost a quarter of people (24%) have been struggling to keep warm at home in the past two weeks.

“One in three (34%) said cutting back on the heating impacted their health or wellbeing. Notably, people who are at real risk from the cold are just as likely to be struggling to keep warm.

“People are going hungry too. One in 20 said their household had run out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more in the past two weeks. One in five (18%) are eating smaller portions and 18% are eating food past its best-before date. Worryingly, one in four people with diabetes were more likely to be eating smaller portions to save money (26%), which poses the risk of low blood sugar.”

Impact on work:

“An alarming number of those struggling with their health aren’t getting the help they need, with one in five waiting for treatment and almost one in four not being able to see a GP.

“Around one in four (23%) of those waiting too long for a GP said it negatively affected their health or wellbeing, and 15% of those waiting for a hospital appointment said it did.

“Two in five of those who are waiting for medical help say this has affected their work – with 26% cutting their hours and 7% on long term sick leave. 28% of those who are economically inactive because of retirement are waiting for treatment, and 32% who are inactive for other reasons.”

Kindly shared by Hargreaves Lansdown

Main article photo courtesy of Pixabay