HC Deb 12 May 1969 vol 783 cc152-3W
Mr. Bishop

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total number of working days lost in 1968 through sickness and industrial injury giving the figures for diagnostic groups, the percentage of days in the period and the cost in benefits.

Mr. Ennals

Figures for 1968 are not available but days of incapacity recorded in the period from 6th June, 1966 to 3rd June, 1967 amounted to 301 million for sickness and 23 million for industrial injury. The major groups of illnesses, with percentages, are shown in the following table:

Days of incapacity due to sickness and industrial injury

Days (Millions) Per cent.
All causes 324 100
Sickness
Mental, psycho-neurotic and personality disorders 30 9
Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs 23 7
Diseases of the circulatory system 36 11
Diseases of the respiratory system 65 20
Diseases of the digestive system 27 8
Diseases of the bones and other organs of movement 30 9
Accidents and poisonings other than those which attracted benefit under the Industrial Injuries Acts 26 8
Industrial Injury
Accidents and prescribed industrial diseases 23 7

In the financial year ended 31st March, 1967 the cost was £262 million for sickness benefit and £32¼ million for injury benefit.

Note:

The Department has information only about incapacity notified for the purpose of claiming benefit and contribution credits under the National Insurance Acts. Spells of incapacity lasting less than four days do not usually attract benefit or a credit and are not normally reported to the Department. The Department does not know about the sickness absence from work of married women and widows who have chosen not to be insured for sickness benefit; nor does it know about any absence of non-industrial civil servants who do not normally claim benefit during the first six months of an illness. The days of sickness include a substantial number which relate to people who have been sick for a very long time. Days of incapacity following the termination of injury benefit are shown under sickness.