‘I have value in this world’: Getting back to work after long-term sickness

Words by: Milena Dambelli

There were many hands that pushed 51-year-old Jamie along his downward spiral – a business launched and failed during the pandemic, a late diagnosis of ADHD, an increasing reliance on alcohol.

“It all came to a head two years ago,” he told Channel 4 News, “with two suicide attempts, I was in and out of psychosis, in a place where I couldn’t function cognitively. I couldn’t leave my flat.”

After three decades of full-time work, Jamie found himself unemployed for more than two years. But even in that state of mind, all he wanted when he was ill was to get back to work.

Getting people back to work is what the government is desperate for too.

In the coming weeks Labour is expected to unveil its big strategy to bring down the soaring number of people who are too sick to work, as a key to getting public finances back on track.

That’s because a near-record 2.8 million people in the UK are currently not in a job or looking for a job because of long-term sickness – about one in 15 working-age people.

Spiralling numbers of those not working, and not looking for work, are adding to spiralling benefits bills.

The most common reason for being out of work is mental illness.

And while the most likely age group to be on long-term sick leave are aged 50 to 64, the number of young people in that category has doubled in the last decade.

The government has told us a major part of their Back to Work white paper will be a new ‘Youth Guarantee’, making sure “every 18 – 21 year old in England is either earning or learning”.

Focusing on young people like Brandon.

He never found his groove at school or college and when he graduated, he spent three years in and often out of jobs he didn’t want to do, and by his early 20s could not see a future for himself.

“The build-up of frustration. Began to think, what’s the point in even trying? After a very frustrating day, I had enough in my mind. Something broke and I got out of the house and I didn’t want to be here anymore.”

After seeking help for his mental health, Brandon was referred to a scheme aimed at tackling youth unemployment by the Princes Trust.

As part of his work experience, he got a placement doing data analysis for an aviation company. And after the training was done, they offered him a job that transformed his life.

“The difference between then and now is a million, billion percent difference. It makes me want to wake up each morning, progress next month. Makes me feel happy. And makes me feel like I have value in this world.”

Experts say there is no one size fits all approach to getting people back into work.

Shelley Southon, from the Shaw Trust, says she hopes to see increased funding for support programmes tailored to individuals in the government’s tentative plans.

“The evidence shows that if you follow that approach, you are twice as likely to get in work and stay in work as a result of that support,” she told us.

As for Jamie, even while he was desperate to get back to work, he recognises he wouldn’t have been able to do that while he was still so unwell.

“I was really fragile. If I had stepped into something, I would have just crumbled. When you’re sick, you have to concentrate on getting better.”

After getting sober he could no longer work in his industry – the drinks industry – and has re-trained as an actor.

Jamie admits that, 15 years ago, if he heard of someone long-term unemployed with mental health issues, he would have thought it was an excuse – that they didn’t have the “grit” or were “putting obstacles in their way not to get back to work”.

Now, he admires “people that are able to get out of bed and move sometimes because mental health can be so debilitating and lethal”.

A government spokesperson said:

“Our Get Britain Working White Paper will bring together local work, health and skills plans to get Britain back to health and back to work.

“And by fixing the foundations of the economy and tackling economic inactivity we will unlock opportunities for everyone across the UK.

“Our new Youth Guarantee is part of our new strategy for young people and will make sure that every 18 – 21 year old in England is either earning or learning.”

Produced by: Milena Dambelli