Poor health preventing work costs Wales £19.4 billion a year, Public Health Wales finds
Poor health that prevents people in Wales from working costs around £19.4 billion a year, according to new findings from Public Health Wales.
The figure covers lost working days, economic inactivity among working-age people who are too ill to seek employment, unpaid informal care linked to illness, lost tax revenue, NHS costs and benefits payments.
| Cost element | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Economic inactivity due to ill-health | £8.2 billion |
| Sickness absence | £2.9 billion |
| Informal caregiving due to ill-health | £2.3 billion |
| Benefits payments | £2.4 billion |
| Exchequer flowbacks (lost tax and National Insurance) | £3.4 billion |
| NHS costs | £155.6 million |
| Total | £19.4 billion |
Ciarán Humphreys, Consultant in Wider Determinants of Health for Public Health Wales, said: “In Wales, many people spend more of their lives in poor health, because the building blocks we need to keep us healthy, such as decent housing or good, fair work, can be weak or absent.
“We have seen a rise in people out of work in recent years relating to ill-health, especially mental health among younger people, and musculoskeletal problems in older ages.”
The findings are being used to support the case for earlier intervention to keep people in employment.
Humphreys added: “People with health conditions are more likely to enter work with early, tailored support, and to stay in work with engaged, flexible, supportive employers.”
Healthy Working Wales is a free programme that supports employers across Wales to improve staff health and prevent sickness absence.
It is funded by the Welsh Government and delivered by Public Health Wales.
Oliver Williams, Consultant in Public Health, said: “Healthy Working Wales gives employers clear, practical support to protect and promote staff wellbeing.
“When employers invest in staff health and wellbeing, they create stronger, happier, more productive workplaces.
“For every £1 spent on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce, employers get about £4.70 back in increased productivity.”
Employers who join the programme can access a workplace health survey tool and one-to-one advice from a Workplace Health Adviser at no cost.
The Public Health Wales findings were published on 30 March 2026.
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