The surge in younger adults (under 35) who are economically inactive due to mental health issues is most striking. This number has risen by 76% since 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A recent government-sponsored report called for employers to do more to help prevent long-term ill-health, and to ensure people can access appropriate treatment more quickly when problems arise. This could be offered via occupational health programmes and insurance- based products.

Many large employers already offer these services, which can include access to private GPs, health assessment, physiotherapy and counselling services.

If you work for an employer who doesn’t currently offer such provision, or are self- employed, it may be worth looking at what options are available privately, given the prevalence of health problems, and potential delays when it comes to accessing NHS treatment, particularly for mental health issues.

Protecting your lifestyle

One option is an income protection policy. This is designed to provide a replacement income, should you find yourself unable to work through ill-health. You can insure a fixed monthly amount, usually paid after a deferral period, to make sure essential bills get paid.

Such insurance can provide valuable breathing space to re-set for those experiencing physical or mental health problems, without exacerbating issues by rushing back to work.

As well as paying a replacement income, some policies offer additional support services. They can include rehabilitation support, to help policyholders with their recovery, or apps offering health and wellbeing information. These ‘add-ons’ vary between providers so check terms and conditions in advance.

Policies can be tailored, to suit circumstances in terms of the deferral period or the maximum payout period. Limiting this to just one or two years will lower the cost of this insurance.