Key chart on this: the post-pandemic increase in disability and incapacity claims is a UK-specific issue. It does not appear to have happened elsewhere (apart from a little bit in Denmark). In many countries the number of claimants has fallen post-Covid. ifs.org.uk/publications... - ThreadSky

benzaranko.bsky.social • 12 days ago

Key chart on this: the post-pandemic increase in disability and incapacity claims is a UK-specific issue. It does not appear to have happened elsewhere (apart from a little bit in Denmark). In many countries the number of claimants has fallen post-Covid.

https://ifs.org.uk/publications/health-related-benefit-claims-post-pandemic-uk-trends-and-global-context

Comments

dangrey.bsky.social•9 days ago

My theory is that the pandemic raised awareness of PIP so people claimed more.

Regards UC, I bet a lot of very low income people drained their savings to the point they could apply. It's never mentioned that UC has really strict limits on capital.

Question is where will claimant numbers level off?

kencrook.bsky.social•11 days ago

An Economist article last week suggested that the rise in these claims may be at least partly caused by the fact that in-person assessments did not return to normal post pandemic. Is that plausible?

kmgallagher25.bsky.social•12 days ago

Different countries have different systems for this. In Germany you only get disability after 18 months of statutory sick leave. In the UK I believe it is 28 weeks. Mass Covid infx only began in 2022 so much won't show in German stats till 2024. Comparing apples with oranges here.

andie27.bsky.social•12 days ago

Why is nobody talking about the stupidity of “let it rip” when Tory govt made people to go to work/school with Covid? Not wearing masks in hospitals when resp illness is high. Telling people “masks don’t work”. Denying airborne transmission to this day. Other countries didn’t behave this insanely

razmetaz.bsky.social•11 days ago

And ignoring the fact that covid impacts on the brain and changes the way it functions

snowgoons.ro•11 days ago

Honestly though, and I know this won't be a popular opinion, the UK is the only place I know where Covid is still "a thing". I don't know anyone outside the UK who even knows what long covid is, but half the UK population seems to be wracked with it...

It's very odd.

hggaddy.bsky.social•11 days ago

Have we ruled out that higher / worse Covid burdens aren't a decent part of the story? I'm not sure the magnitude makes sense, but the age-standardised Covid death rates were at least 2x those in some of the comparison countries (https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12475)

drstevetaylor.bsky.social•12 days ago

I wonder if there is a link

grannydegrotbag.bsky.social•12 days ago

I suspect not, for mental health the NHS are not the best option.
We look to places with low mental illness - what might be the correlations?

jonploug.bsky.social•12 days ago

I actually believe it’s the other way around. All the people I know who are most worried about potential long covid tend to be privileged people with good access to health care - but anxious and isolated.

benzaranko.bsky.social•12 days ago

We're doing some analysis at the moment on this very question! Should be published over the next couple of months

drstevetaylor.bsky.social•12 days ago

I was looking at this today also

https://bsky.app/profile/drstevetaylor.bsky.social/post/3lk6bu6q72s2u

bggyoneandonly.bsky.social•9 days ago

I've been waiting on seeing a podiatrist since the end of 2023. Referral to private provider (contracted out by NHS). Previous contractor disappeared without a trace, current provider employs just ONE podiatrist. My wait goes on...

N.B. my condition is painful not critical.

remcovanderziel.bsky.social•11 days ago

Netherlands had double digit growth in disability claims in 2023 and 2024. Caused by psychological diseases and long-COVID.

riverlorien.bsky.social•12 days ago

So much of our social safety net was damaged during austerity. People who have waited months (or years) for mental health care are v likely to need much more treatment & support than if they'd been seen earlier. Council youth services have been slashed. Many lose mental health care at age 25 & so on

riverlorien.bsky.social•11 days ago

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