The relationship between health and work 

New findings from Next Steps have highlighted how closely intertwined our health and our working lives can be, showing that past experiences of poor health may increase the likelihood of being out of work at age 32.  

What we asked you 

In previous surveys, we have asked you to reflect on your general health and mental health. In the Age 32 Survey, we also asked you questions about your employment status. By bringing this information together, researchers have been able to explore the important relationship between heath and work. 

What the researchers found 

At age 32, most study members (9 in 10) were in paid work. Health-wise, only 1 in 10 of you reported poor general health. However, mental health problems were more common, with just over 1 in 5 of you experiencing symptoms at this stage of life.  

Past health experiences and employment

The team of researchers at UCL looked at your health status at different stages of your lives, based on information from our earlier surveys, to see whether there was a connection between this and your employment status in your early 30s.  

The researchers found that people who were unemployed at age 32 were more likely to have experienced poor general health in the past, especially those who were out of work and not actively looking for a job. 

For example, around 4 in 10 male study members and 3 in 10 female study members who were out of work and not seeking a job had reported poor general health at some point earlier in life, whether during childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. In contrast, those in paid work were much less likely to have experienced poor health in the past. Only about 1 in 10 men and 1 in 8 women in employment at age 32 had previously rated their general health as poor. 

How mental health is related to employment

Overall, females were more likely than males to have experienced mental health problems at some point.  Mental health problems were also more common among those not working at 32 compared to those in paid work. This was the case for both males and females, but the difference was starkest among male study members. Around half of males who were out of work had experienced mental ill health versus around a quarter of those in work at age 32. 

Why this research matters 

Boosting the number of people in paid work is a key focus of current government policy. However, people with long-term health problems can feel the job market is closed to them. These new findings from Next Steps suggest that early access to healthcare and support could help reduce the impact that health problems can have on people’s working lives. 

Read the full research report 

The Longitudinal Association Between Health and Labour Market Participation: A study of English Millennials by Alison Fang-Wei Wu, Morag Henderson, Bozena Wielgoszewska, Sam Denson, was published by the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies.