People in their early 20s are more likely to be out of work due to ill health than those in their early 40s, according to a new report laying bare Britain’s mental health crisis.
The Resolution Foundation, a British think tank, said young people were more likely to experience a mental disorder than any other age group ― a “complete reversal” to 20 years ago when they were the least likely.
It has resulted in the number of people aged 18-24 being prescribed antidepressants in the UK rising from 440,000 in 2015-16 to 570,000 in 2021-22 ― an increase of 31 per cent.
Researchers found that economic consequences for Britain are greatest for those with poor mental health and poor educational outcomes.
One in three young non-graduates with a common mental health condition were out of work, with experts calling the situation a crisis.
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A government source insisted the issue was something it was aware of and that it was Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary’s “absolute priority” to crack economic inactivity.
They added: “We need to look very carefully at where people are falling through the net into sickness benefits.”
Louise Murphy, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “What should most worry us is when poor mental health comes together with poor education outcomes.
“The economic consequences of poor mental health are starkest for young people who don’t go to university.
“We need better support services in currently underserved colleges and much better provision for those resitting exams so that everyone has qualifications to build on.”
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Five per cent or more of those aged between 20 and 24 were economically inactive due to ill health, the report found, while for those aged 39 to 45 it was under 5 per cent.
The report, funded by The Health Foundation, also found that 34 per cent of young people aged 18 to 24 had reported symptoms of mental disorder in 2021-22. These included depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder. The figure is significantly higher than in 2000, when it stood at 24 per cent.
Young women are particularly affected, and are one-and-a-half times more likely to experience poor mental health compared with young men, at 26 per cent.
The research also looked at the skills levels of young people who are not working because of ill health and found a link between poor mental health and poor educational outcomes.
It found that 79 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds who were workless due to ill health only had qualifications at GCSE level or below, while only a third of people in that age group have those qualifications.
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One in eight 11 to 16-year-olds with poor mental health missed more than 15 days of school in the autumn term of 2023, compared with one in 50 healthier classmates, the report said.
It found that if children suffered poor mental health aged 11 to 14, they were three times more likely not to pass five GCSEs, including maths and English, compared with healthier children.
The report also uncovered the extent to which young people with mental health problems are more likely to be out of work.
Between 2018 and 2022, 21 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds with mental health problems were not in work, compared with 13 per cent of those without such issues.
The report adds: “Youth worklessness due to ill health is a real ― and growing trend. It is worrying that young people in their early 20s, just embarking on their adult life, are more likely to be out of work due to ill health than those in their early 40s.”
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Over the past decade, those with mental health problems have been consistently more likely to be in low-paid work than those without, the report found.
In 2022, 40 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds with mental health problems who were in work were in a low-paid job, compared with 35 per cent of healthier peers.
Meanwhile, a third of young people with mental health problems and no degree are out of work, compared with 17 per cent of graduates with the same illnesses.
The study concluded that efforts to tackle Britain’s epidemic of poor mental health should focus on lower-qualified young people.
It also called for greater mental health support in colleges and sixth forms and for more to be done to ensure fewer people leave compulsory education with low qualification levels.
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Jo Bibby, director of health at the Health Foundation, said: “Policymakers need to focus on the building blocks of health, such as good employment and education, to ensure young people get the support they need and have the tools to move through the world as adults.
“Without concerted cross-government action, we risk creating a ‘lost generation’ due to ill health.”
A government spokesman said: “Our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan will help one million people find work and reap the benefits it has to offer, including those with long-term health conditions and disabilities.
“This sets out tailored support to get more young people into work, with work coaches and youth hubs offering advice and guidance helping young people find a role right for them.
“This is all back with record levels of support for mental health which reached £16 billion last year, including £1 billion specifically for children and young people.”
