Mental illness is costing the UK almost £70bn a year, claims an economic group.

 

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that the UK's failure to handle mental health issues effectively is costing taxpayers because of productivity losses, higher benefit payments and costs to the healthcare system. The report argues that acting early is the most effective way to ensure poor mental health does not lead to people becoming benefit dependent.

 

"Up to 370,000 Britons move onto disability benefit every year (1% of the working-age population), the highest rate in the developed world and twice the OECD average,” said the report. “The leading cause for such benefit claims is mental illness, now accounting for around 40% of all new claims."