Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

Regional Social Strategy – the strategy to achieve social inclusion throughout the East of England
Periods of illness, disability and caring duties have economic and social costs for individuals, families and
society. Overall 12.7% of the economically inactive population of the region are classed as sick or disabled
(Census 2001). This compares with 16.01% for England. At 206,900 the number in receipt of sickness-related
benefits far exceeds the number claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (60,515) and represents 50% of those
claiming working age benefits (417,675) in the region. People with poor mental health or physical disabilities
can also experience stigma and discrimination. Asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers often have
additional health needs compounded by difficulty in accessing services in the UK. Ensuring the prompt
diagnosis and effective treatment of illnesses that may affect an individual’s productivity (in employment,
full-time education or a caring role) or their ability to build and maintain social relationships are key actions
for health care providers.
Recent research (Is work good for your health and well-being?, Waddell and Burton, DWP, 2006) suggests
that there is a strong relationship between health and work:
• being in the right type of work is good for your health. It improves self esteem, quality of life and
well-being
• being out of work is bad for both mind and body. Unemployment progressively damages health and results
in more sickness, disability, mental illness, obesity, use of medication and medical services and decreased
life expectancy
• when people return to work from unemployment their health improves. Returning to work from
unemployment improves health by as much as unemployment damages it
• if you have a health condition, being in work can help your recovery
• remaining in or returning quickly is beneficial for people with both physical and mental health problems
• the positive effects of work do not just benefit the individual. Work also reduces poverty and health
inequalities for the family and the community
• although aspects of work can pose a risk to health, far more people gain benefits from work than are
negatively affected by it. The benefits of work are also greater than the harmful effects of prolonged
sickness absence
• the positive effects of work apply to all age groups.
Caring for sick or disabled people is another way in which an individual and their family are at risk of
social exclusion. Particularly vulnerable are young people with caring responsibilities as they are much
more difficult to identify and support. As the population of the region ages the number of people caring for
dependent elderly people will increase. The government white paper Our health, Our Care, Our Say: a new
direction for community services (2005) acknowledges this and calls for better support for those with caring
responsibilities.
The East of England has the fifth largest population of non-White British residents in the UK. There are some
large ethnic populations throughout the region especially in areas such as Peterborough and Luton. Health
varies between (and within) ethnic populations. Chinese populations in this region tend to experience better
health, while Bangladeshis and Pakistanis suffer from poorer health. National surveys of NHS patient
experience show that Asian groups experience worse access to services than other ethnic groups
across all the regions (health data from Census 2001, ERPHO, 2004).
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