Almost fifth of working age adults in West Northamptonshire ‘economically inactive’

A new public health report has revealed the numbers of people 'economically inactive' since the pandemic has risen considerably

By Sarah Ward

Photo by Hannah Wei on Unsplash

Almost 47,000 adults aged below 65 across West Northamptonshire are not in work according to the latest annual report published by the area’s public health team.

Since the pandemic the number of people in the West of the county who are not working due to ill health, caring responsibilities or early retirement, has gone up from 15 per cent to more than 18.8 per cent, meaning that almost a fifth of working age adults are not economically active.

The report - put together by West Northamptonshire Council’s director of public health Sally Burns - provides an overview of the health and wellbeing of those living in the area and details what programmes have been put in place to address issues and what needs to happen in the future.

On the numbers of people not working the report says: 

“Recent trends, exacerbated by COVID-19 has seen an increase of those who are of working age stop working and become ‘economically inactive’ by either taking retirement…