Data from 2018 has shown that over 100,000 people leave work following a spell of long-term sickness absence each year

This Department for Work and Pensions & Department of Health and Social Care publication identifies that Disabled people were 5 times more likely to have a spell of long-term sickness absence than non-disabled people. It is noted that those who were either ‘Married’ or in a ‘Civil partnership’ were most likely to have a spell of long-term sickness absence (LTSA )(4.6%) compared to those who were ‘Single’, ‘Separated’, ‘Widowed’ or ‘Divorced’ (4.3%). The report also identifies that the likelihood of having at least one spell of LTSA every year increases with age.