It said the rise in ill-health had a “knock-on impact” on welfare claims.
“There has also been a rapid rise in the number of working-age adults claiming sickness and disability-related benefits,” the Foundation said, adding that people in their early 20s are now more likely than those in their 30s or early 40s to be claiming benefits related to a health condition or disability.
Official projections by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published this week show spending on health and disability benefits is expected to rise by more than a third over the next five years from £65.7bn in 2023-24 to £90.9bn in 2028-29.
The Foundation said the most “striking” increase in benefit claims related to personal independence payments (PIP), which is now the main non-means-tested benefit for those with health conditions or disabilities. The benefit can be claimed by people both in and out of work, though OBR analysis suggests just 16pc of those who claim PIP are in work.
New PIP claims have increased 68pc between early 2020 and early 2024, according to the Foundation. Adults aged between 55 and 64 are the most likely group to be claiming PIP, with the most common conditions including osteoarthritis and anxiety.
