Joblessness 'negatively affects mental health'

23rd July 2010

The benefits of having a job and the negative affects of being unemployed have been detailed by one industry expert who said that there is a "clear" link between ill health and being out of work.

Matthew Freeman, head of young people and communities at Working Links - an organisation dedicated to helping Britons into sustainable positions and that has assisted more than 140,000 since the year 2000 - made this observation in response to a report from the Audit Commission looking into the financial, social and personal costs of teenagers not in education, employment or training (Neets).

The study found that there may be as many as one in four young people in such situations, with approximately ten per cent finding themselves thus over the long term for six months or more.

Calling for the implementation of barrier-free policies and procedures, Mr Freeman noted that "inter-agency cooperation" must be introduced in order to improve the lives of this demographic.

He went on to add that unemployment can lead to unhappiness, poor health and depression, while being in work tends to lead to "substantial improvements in mental health".