Economically inactive because of long-term sickness, UK

Official statistics, not accredited

People aged 16 to 64 in the UK who are neither in work nor looking for work because of long-term sickness, thousands, seasonally adjusted, from the Labour Force Survey (rolling three months) since 1993.

Inactive because of long-term sickness, 16–64

2,738,000

Jun–Aug 2026

Verified against source, 29 October 2026, 12:01 UTC

Inactive because of long-term sickness, 16–64

Source: Office for National Statistics. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Data table

400 periods, newest first

Period	Inactive because of long-term sickness, 16–64
Jun–Aug 2026	2,738,000
May–Jul 2026	2,780,000
Apr–Jun 2026	2,774,000
Mar–May 2026	2,747,000
Feb–Apr 2026	2,772,000
Jan–Mar 2026	2,772,000
Dec 2025–Feb 2026	2,792,000
Nov 2025–Jan 2026	2,785,000
Oct–Dec 2025	2,786,000
Sep–Nov 2025	2,800,000
Aug–Oct 2025	2,818,000
Jul–Sep 2025	2,826,000
Jun–Aug 2025	2,824,000
May–Jul 2025	2,792,000
Apr–Jun 2025	2,780,000
Mar–May 2025	2,776,000
Feb–Apr 2025	2,782,000
Jan–Mar 2025	2,775,000
Dec 2024–Feb 2025	2,784,000
Nov 2024–Jan 2025	2,812,000
Oct–Dec 2024	2,776,000
Sep–Nov 2024	2,805,000
Aug–Oct 2024	2,798,000
Jul–Sep 2024	2,793,000
Jun–Aug 2024	2,796,000
May–Jul 2024	2,835,000
Apr–Jun 2024	2,824,000
Mar–May 2024	2,829,000
Feb–Apr 2024	2,830,000
Jan–Mar 2024	2,824,000
Dec 2023–Feb 2024	2,842,000
Nov 2023–Jan 2024	2,821,000
Oct–Dec 2023	2,849,000
Sep–Nov 2023	2,850,000
Aug–Oct 2023	2,824,000
Jul–Sep 2023	2,742,000
Jun–Aug 2023	2,737,000
May–Jul 2023	2,735,000
Apr–Jun 2023	2,706,000
Mar–May 2023	2,665,000
Feb–Apr 2023	2,689,000
Jan–Mar 2023	2,699,000
Dec 2022–Feb 2023	2,706,000
Nov 2022–Jan 2023	2,670,000
Oct–Dec 2022	2,586,000
Sep–Nov 2022	2,561,000
Aug–Oct 2022	2,586,000
Jul–Sep 2022	2,636,000
Jun–Aug 2022	2,639,000
May–Jul 2022	2,581,000
Apr–Jun 2022	2,506,000
Mar–May 2022	2,443,000
Feb–Apr 2022	2,466,000
Jan–Mar 2022	2,440,000
Dec 2021–Feb 2022	2,460,000
Nov 2021–Jan 2022	2,446,000
Oct–Dec 2021	2,436,000
Sep–Nov 2021	2,446,000
Aug–Oct 2021	2,400,000
Jul–Sep 2021	2,396,000
Jun–Aug 2021	2,376,000
May–Jul 2021	2,326,000
Apr–Jun 2021	2,297,000
Mar–May 2021	2,313,000
Feb–Apr 2021	2,288,000
Jan–Mar 2021	2,307,000
Dec 2020–Feb 2021	2,263,000
Nov 2020–Jan 2021	2,297,000
Oct–Dec 2020	2,328,000
Sep–Nov 2020	2,291,000
Aug–Oct 2020	2,320,000
Jul–Sep 2020	2,327,000
Jun–Aug 2020	2,288,000
May–Jul 2020	2,262,000
Apr–Jun 2020	2,233,000
Mar–May 2020	2,234,000
Feb–Apr 2020	2,243,000
Jan–Mar 2020	2,229,000
Dec 2019–Feb 2020	2,118,000
Nov 2019–Jan 2020	2,117,000
Oct–Dec 2019	2,080,000
Sep–Nov 2019	2,086,000
Aug–Oct 2019	2,089,000
Jul–Sep 2019	2,062,000
Jun–Aug 2019	2,067,000
May–Jul 2019	2,062,000
Apr–Jun 2019	2,030,000
Mar–May 2019	2,026,000
Feb–Apr 2019	1,983,000
Jan–Mar 2019	2,012,000
Dec 2018–Feb 2019	1,979,000
Nov 2018–Jan 2019	2,006,000
Oct–Dec 2018	2,007,000
Sep–Nov 2018	1,992,000
Aug–Oct 2018	1,983,000
Jul–Sep 2018	2,000,000
Jun–Aug 2018	2,032,000
May–Jul 2018	2,049,000
Apr–Jun 2018	2,043,000
Mar–May 2018	2,004,000
Feb–Apr 2018	1,986,000
Jan–Mar 2018	1,977,000
Dec 2017–Feb 2018	1,984,000
Nov 2017–Jan 2018	1,987,000
Oct–Dec 2017	1,997,000
Sep–Nov 2017	1,982,000
Aug–Oct 2017	2,032,000
Jul–Sep 2017	2,055,000
Jun–Aug 2017	2,023,000
May–Jul 2017	2,007,000
Apr–Jun 2017	1,982,000
Mar–May 2017	1,994,000
Feb–Apr 2017	1,979,000
Jan–Mar 2017	1,991,000
Dec 2016–Feb 2017	1,985,000
Nov 2016–Jan 2017	1,991,000
Oct–Dec 2016	1,959,000
Sep–Nov 2016	1,999,000
Aug–Oct 2016	1,990,000
Jul–Sep 2016	2,007,000
Jun–Aug 2016	2,009,000
May–Jul 2016	2,035,000
Apr–Jun 2016	2,042,000
Mar–May 2016	2,055,000
Feb–Apr 2016	2,089,000
Jan–Mar 2016	2,100,000
Dec 2015–Feb 2016	2,081,000
Nov 2015–Jan 2016	2,105,000
Oct–Dec 2015	2,074,000
Sep–Nov 2015	2,088,000
Aug–Oct 2015	2,078,000
Jul–Sep 2015	2,111,000
Jun–Aug 2015	2,102,000
May–Jul 2015	2,094,000
Apr–Jun 2015	2,085,000
Mar–May 2015	2,075,000
Feb–Apr 2015	2,042,000
Jan–Mar 2015	2,026,000
Dec 2014–Feb 2015	2,024,000
Nov 2014–Jan 2015	2,028,000
Oct–Dec 2014	2,036,000
Sep–Nov 2014	2,039,000
Aug–Oct 2014	2,024,000
Jul–Sep 2014	2,022,000
Jun–Aug 2014	2,018,000
May–Jul 2014	2,027,000
Apr–Jun 2014	1,991,000
Mar–May 2014	1,990,000
Feb–Apr 2014	1,998,000
Jan–Mar 2014	1,996,000
Dec 2013–Feb 2014	2,007,000
Nov 2013–Jan 2014	2,041,000
Oct–Dec 2013	2,043,000
Sep–Nov 2013	2,016,000
Aug–Oct 2013	1,974,000
Jul–Sep 2013	1,984,000
Jun–Aug 2013	2,007,000
May–Jul 2013	2,013,000
Apr–Jun 2013	2,064,000
Mar–May 2013	2,059,000
Feb–Apr 2013	2,060,000
Jan–Mar 2013	2,070,000
Dec 2012–Feb 2013	2,053,000
Nov 2012–Jan 2013	2,046,000
Oct–Dec 2012	2,052,000
Sep–Nov 2012	2,062,000
Aug–Oct 2012	2,087,000
Jul–Sep 2012	2,064,000
Jun–Aug 2012	2,072,000
May–Jul 2012	2,125,000
Apr–Jun 2012	2,140,000
Mar–May 2012	2,164,000
Feb–Apr 2012	2,159,000
Jan–Mar 2012	2,156,000
Dec 2011–Feb 2012	2,154,000
Nov 2011–Jan 2012	2,121,000
Oct–Dec 2011	2,139,000
Sep–Nov 2011	2,175,000
Aug–Oct 2011	2,186,000
Jul–Sep 2011	2,189,000
Jun–Aug 2011	2,189,000
May–Jul 2011	2,191,000
Apr–Jun 2011	2,189,000
Mar–May 2011	2,192,000
Feb–Apr 2011	2,191,000
Jan–Mar 2011	2,190,000
Dec 2010–Feb 2011	2,183,000
Nov 2010–Jan 2011	2,205,000
Oct–Dec 2010	2,230,000
Sep–Nov 2010	2,230,000
Aug–Oct 2010	2,228,000
Jul–Sep 2010	2,224,000
Jun–Aug 2010	2,228,000
May–Jul 2010	2,234,000
Apr–Jun 2010	2,246,000
Mar–May 2010	2,233,000
Feb–Apr 2010	2,228,000
Jan–Mar 2010	2,205,000
Dec 2009–Feb 2010	2,181,000
Nov 2009–Jan 2010	2,175,000
Oct–Dec 2009	2,178,000
Sep–Nov 2009	2,184,000
Aug–Oct 2009	2,168,000
Jul–Sep 2009	2,191,000
Jun–Aug 2009	2,179,000
May–Jul 2009	2,156,000
Apr–Jun 2009	2,144,000
Mar–May 2009	2,153,000
Feb–Apr 2009	2,145,000
Jan–Mar 2009	2,160,000
Dec 2008–Feb 2009	2,173,000
Nov 2008–Jan 2009	2,163,000
Oct–Dec 2008	2,149,000
Sep–Nov 2008	2,182,000
Aug–Oct 2008	2,197,000
Jul–Sep 2008	2,227,000
Jun–Aug 2008	2,201,000
May–Jul 2008	2,175,000
Apr–Jun 2008	2,174,000
Mar–May 2008	2,196,000
Feb–Apr 2008	2,221,000
Jan–Mar 2008	2,224,000
Dec 2007–Feb 2008	2,215,000
Nov 2007–Jan 2008	2,228,000
Oct–Dec 2007	2,220,000
Sep–Nov 2007	2,202,000
Aug–Oct 2007	2,201,000
Jul–Sep 2007	2,200,000
Jun–Aug 2007	2,215,000
May–Jul 2007	2,216,000
Apr–Jun 2007	2,209,000
Mar–May 2007	2,211,000
Feb–Apr 2007	2,247,000
Jan–Mar 2007	2,242,000
Dec 2006–Feb 2007	2,245,000
Nov 2006–Jan 2007	2,214,000
Oct–Dec 2006	2,228,000
Sep–Nov 2006	2,229,000
Aug–Oct 2006	2,214,000
Jul–Sep 2006	2,194,000
Jun–Aug 2006	2,198,000
May–Jul 2006	2,227,000
Apr–Jun 2006	2,242,000
Mar–May 2006	2,233,000
Feb–Apr 2006	2,211,000
Jan–Mar 2006	2,223,000
Dec 2005–Feb 2006	2,229,000
Nov 2005–Jan 2006	2,247,000
Oct–Dec 2005	2,255,000
Sep–Nov 2005	2,264,000
Aug–Oct 2005	2,265,000
Jul–Sep 2005	2,248,000
Jun–Aug 2005	2,256,000
May–Jul 2005	2,266,000
Apr–Jun 2005	2,296,000
Mar–May 2005	2,311,000
Feb–Apr 2005	2,327,000
Jan–Mar 2005	2,285,000
Dec 2004–Feb 2005	2,283,000
Nov 2004–Jan 2005	2,292,000
Oct–Dec 2004	2,307,000
Sep–Nov 2004	2,314,000
Aug–Oct 2004	2,324,000
Jul–Sep 2004	2,339,000
Jun–Aug 2004	2,338,000
May–Jul 2004	2,320,000
Apr–Jun 2004	2,315,000
Mar–May 2004	2,309,000
Feb–Apr 2004	2,304,000
Jan–Mar 2004	2,279,000
Dec 2003–Feb 2004	2,273,000
Nov 2003–Jan 2004	2,273,000
Oct–Dec 2003	2,301,000
Sep–Nov 2003	2,299,000
Aug–Oct 2003	2,293,000
Jul–Sep 2003	2,266,000
Jun–Aug 2003	2,257,000
May–Jul 2003	2,263,000
Apr–Jun 2003	2,261,000
Mar–May 2003	2,271,000
Feb–Apr 2003	2,284,000
Jan–Mar 2003	2,307,000
Dec 2002–Feb 2003	2,323,000
Nov 2002–Jan 2003	2,314,000
Oct–Dec 2002	2,283,000
Sep–Nov 2002	2,291,000
Aug–Oct 2002	2,293,000
Jul–Sep 2002	2,307,000
Jun–Aug 2002	2,316,000
May–Jul 2002	2,360,000
Apr–Jun 2002	2,362,000
Mar–May 2002	2,369,000
Feb–Apr 2002	2,361,000
Jan–Mar 2002	2,384,000
Dec 2001–Feb 2002	2,382,000
Nov 2001–Jan 2002	2,385,000
Oct–Dec 2001	2,384,000
Sep–Nov 2001	2,387,000
Aug–Oct 2001	2,391,000
Jul–Sep 2001	2,370,000
Jun–Aug 2001	2,365,000
May–Jul 2001	2,363,000
Apr–Jun 2001	2,341,000
Mar–May 2001	2,349,000
Feb–Apr 2001	2,341,000
Jan–Mar 2001	2,342,000
Dec 2000–Feb 2001	2,337,000
Nov 2000–Jan 2001	2,336,000
Oct–Dec 2000	2,341,000
Sep–Nov 2000	2,355,000
Aug–Oct 2000	2,318,000
Jul–Sep 2000	2,310,000
Jun–Aug 2000	2,303,000
May–Jul 2000	2,288,000
Apr–Jun 2000	2,290,000
Mar–May 2000	2,302,000
Feb–Apr 2000	2,312,000
Jan–Mar 2000	2,306,000
Dec 1999–Feb 2000	2,295,000
Nov 1999–Jan 2000	2,291,000
Oct–Dec 1999	2,286,000
Sep–Nov 1999	2,304,000
Aug–Oct 1999	2,323,000
Jul–Sep 1999	2,339,000
Jun–Aug 1999	2,330,000
May–Jul 1999	2,342,000
Apr–Jun 1999	2,349,000
Mar–May 1999	2,356,000
Feb–Apr 1999	2,359,000
Jan–Mar 1999	2,337,000
Dec 1998–Feb 1999	2,323,000
Nov 1998–Jan 1999	2,329,000
Oct–Dec 1998	2,343,000
Sep–Nov 1998	2,349,000
Aug–Oct 1998	2,369,000
Jul–Sep 1998	2,369,000
Jun–Aug 1998	2,367,000
May–Jul 1998	2,382,000
Apr–Jun 1998	2,367,000
Mar–May 1998	2,372,000
Feb–Apr 1998	2,386,000
Jan–Mar 1998	2,372,000
Dec 1997–Feb 1998	2,358,000
Nov 1997–Jan 1998	2,332,000
Oct–Dec 1997	2,346,000
Sep–Nov 1997	2,333,000
Aug–Oct 1997	2,324,000
Jul–Sep 1997	2,328,000
Jun–Aug 1997	2,317,000
May–Jul 1997	2,290,000
Apr–Jun 1997	2,280,000
Mar–May 1997	2,311,000
Feb–Apr 1997	2,311,000
Jan–Mar 1997	2,318,000
Dec 1996–Feb 1997	2,322,000
Nov 1996–Jan 1997	2,315,000
Oct–Dec 1996	2,301,000
Sep–Nov 1996	2,267,000
Aug–Oct 1996	2,269,000
Jul–Sep 1996	2,265,000
Jun–Aug 1996	2,236,000
May–Jul 1996	2,221,000
Apr–Jun 1996	2,193,000
Mar–May 1996	2,196,000
Feb–Apr 1996	2,162,000
Jan–Mar 1996	2,165,000
Dec 1995–Feb 1996	2,160,000
Nov 1995–Jan 1996	2,145,000
Oct–Dec 1995	2,152,000
Sep–Nov 1995	2,139,000
Aug–Oct 1995	2,136,000
Jul–Sep 1995	2,133,000
Jun–Aug 1995	2,121,000
May–Jul 1995	2,117,000
Apr–Jun 1995	2,120,000
Mar–May 1995	2,109,000
Feb–Apr 1995	2,077,000
Jan–Mar 1995	2,080,000
Dec 1994–Feb 1995	2,074,000
Nov 1994–Jan 1995	2,074,000
Oct–Dec 1994	2,031,000
Sep–Nov 1994	2,015,000
Aug–Oct 1994	1,995,000
Jul–Sep 1994	1,971,000
Jun–Aug 1994	1,951,000
May–Jul 1994	1,940,000
Apr–Jun 1994	1,952,000
Mar–May 1994	1,940,000
Feb–Apr 1994	1,938,000
Jan–Mar 1994	1,911,000
Dec 1993–Feb 1994	1,918,000
Nov 1993–Jan 1994	1,926,000
Oct–Dec 1993	1,930,000
Sep–Nov 1993	1,938,000
Aug–Oct 1993	1,905,000
Jul–Sep 1993	1,884,000
Jun–Aug 1993	1,889,000
May–Jul 1993	1,857,000
Apr–Jun 1993	1,834,000
Mar–May 1993	1,813,000

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Source and licence

Publisher

Office for National Statistics

Check it yourself

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/economicinactivity/timeseries/lf69/lms

Licence

Open Government Licence v3.0 – Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Retrieved

29 October 2026, 11:51 UTC

Publisher release

2026-10-19T23:00:00.000Z; next release 17 November 2026

Series as published

LFS: Econ. inactivity reasons: Long Term Sick: UK: 16-64:000s:SA (LF69, dataset LMS)

Raw files fetched

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/economicinactivity/timeseries/lf69/lms/dataSHA-256 e07a3abd37b1e8f11ced8bbbd5ed79ec2b8ba1bee3c8ac43a4c1fea6786a4f70 · 115,103 bytes

Verification

Verified against source, 29 October 2026, 12:01 UTC Run at 29 October 2026, 12:01 UTC; 400 of 400 figures matched the live source.

Result	Check	Detail
Pass	Provenance recorded	Office for National Statistics; Open Government Licence v3.0; retrieved 2026-10-29T11:51:44Z; 1 raw file(s)
Pass	Raw files match recorded SHA-256	1 of 1 files intact
Pass	Re-parsing raw files reproduces figures	400 of 400 figures and the headline reproduced
Pass	Figures are finite numbers	400 figures, 0 invalid
Pass	Live source matches every figure	400 of 400 figures match exactly after downloading 1 source file(s) again (1 byte-identical); the headline matches
Pass	ONS CSV download agrees	400 of 400 figures match the CSV at https://www.ons.gov.uk/generator?format=csv&uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/economicinactivity/timeseries/lf69/lms
Pass	ONS series is current	last released 2026-10-19, 9 days before retrieval (limit 400); next release 17 November 2026
Pass	ONS table INAC01 agrees	400 of 400 figures match the long-term sick column of https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/economicinactivity/datasets/economicinactivitybyreasonseasonallyadjustedinac01sa/current/inac01saoct2026.xls, in thousands rounded half up
Pass	Source page answers	https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/economicinactivity/timeseries/lf69/lms – HTTP 200

Notes

Labour Force Survey estimates, which are no longer accredited as National Statistics. The ONS reweighted the survey from January to March 2019, causing a step in the series, and advises focusing on long-term movements because of volatility in 2023 and 2024.