Is poor health driving a rise in economic inactivity?

Summary

The increase in economic inactivity since the beginning of the pandemic has generated a lot of comment – from talk of ‘the great resignation’ to ‘the great retirement’, and questions about the role of long COVID and the increase in long-term sickness. Different reasons for this change have been mooted, whether it relates to voluntary retirement or an increase in ill health. This article aims to try and unpick these differing potential causes.