Health and work statistics

Public Health England has updated its summaries of data on the relationship between health and work including: mental health, musculoskeletal problems, welfare spending, and the effects of health on older and younger people.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-work-infographics

Not sure about £70bn “cost” to the economy “through lost productivity, social benefits and health care”. I’d accept the productivity part but is money spent on social benefits and health care lost to the economy? I think it more likely that claimants and health care professionals are spending it down the shops rather than hiding the whole lot under the mattress so it stays in the economy. It may well be better if the money was able to be used on something else but it seems misleading to suggest it is a cost to “the economy” as if there would be a £70bn boost to the economy if the benefits and health care were no longer needed.