Work and Worklessness

We have just published the updated Work and Worklessness section of the KJSA!

This section looks at trends in employment and worklessness in Kirklees, and the wide range of health and wellbeing factors which relate to work and worklessness.

Work is a primary determinant of health and wellbeing.  Good work is an important contributor to health and wellbeing across people’s lives. Employment has benefits for individuals, families and society as a whole and healthy, skilled, productive people make a healthy economy.

Poor health can be both a cause and consequence of worklessness. There is clear evidence that worklessness and unemployment are bad for your health; there are both short and long-term effects on physical and mental health, and an increased risk of mortality and morbidity – including limiting illness, cardiovascular disease, poor mental health, suicide, and health-damaging behaviours.

The definition of worklessness is wider than just unemployment.  It includes people who are workless due to caring responsibilities and health conditions, as well as those who are claiming certain benefits.

In Kirklees, there are 23,200 workless households, which is around 17% of all households.  This is slightly higher than the national and regional averages. The prevalence of worklessness varies greatly across Kirklees – from just 3% of the population in Holme Valley South ward to 20% of the population in Dewsbury West. The Kirklees unemployment rate of 4.7% is also slightly higher than the national average, but has been steadily decreasing in recent years and nearly halved since 2011.

Helping people with health issues to obtain or retain work, and be happy and productive in the workplace, is a key driver of economic success and overall population health, so it is crucial that we continue to ensure that Kirklees is a district which combines great quality of life and a strong and sustainable economy.

There are a wide-range of assets and support in Kirklees to help people gain and sustain good employment, or alternatives such as volunteering where this might be more appropriate, delivered by the council and in partnership with the third sector. It is also important that we encourage businesses to take a proactive approach in improving and protecting their staff’s health and wellbeing.

 

Victoria Harper – Economic Resilience Project Manager

The Experience of Disabled Adults in Kirklees

Welcome have just published the newly updated and integrated disabled adults section of the KJSA!

In the past we have had separate multiple sections for each type of disability, so there was a section covering those living with a physical disability, a separate section for those living with a sensory impairment, those living with a learning disability and so on.

We noticed there were a set common themes that affected those living with disabilities such as feeling safe in their local area, issues around housing, the experience of poverty and feelings of loneliness. It made sense to describe these issues collectively, because there are a number of things society and services can do to allow greater inclusion for all those affected by disability.

In the section we outline a range of inequalities that affect those living with a disability, such as those outlined in the infographic above.

We of course recognise that there are specific issues that affect certain groups in different ways, such as educational attainment, inclusion in society and access to end of life care amongst those with a learning disability. So where one group is affected differently we have provided you with this detail, you’ll find this in the “Specific factors affecting” boxes within the section. You will find a much more detailed picture for each disability group covered by this section, this includes connections to national research where you can find more detail.

Looking at disabled adults in one section has also shown the gaps in knowledge and research both locally and nationally. We have pulled together a detailed set of commissioner considerations to try to fill some of these gaps.

As we develop the Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities section we will look to better describe the issues affecting younger adults living with a disability, and their transition from childhood to adulthood, so keep an eye out for that!

 

Chris Porter – Health Development Officer