The SNP and the Conservatives are failing to support employment in Scotland, as figures reveal a staggering increase in people out of work due to long-term sickness – an increase far higher than in England.

Official statistics show that ‘economic inactivity’ – the number of people who are out of work and not looking for work – caused by sickness reached 253,000 across Scotland in 2022, shooting up by 16 percent since 2019 before the pandemic.

In England, inactivity due to sickness rose by 10 percent over the same period.

Overall rates of economic inactivity caused by long-term sickness are higher in Scotland than in England with seven percent of the working-age population off work due to ill health in Scotland, compared with five percent in England.

Labour says that these figures show that both the SNP and the Tories are content to let people with health conditions suffer “the despair of worklessness”.

In contrast, Labour has set out its plans to reform reserved employment services and sickness benefits, enabling people to try out employment without fear of losing income if it does not work out, while Scottish Labour is committed to ensuring devolved benefits such as Adult Disability Payment are fit for purpose.

Dumbarton constituency MSP, Jackie Baillie said: “These findings expose the extent of SNP and Tory failure on economic inactivity.

“Where help should be offered to people to stay in work and re-enter the labour market, people with ill health have been abandoned by two governments who are failing their citizens. I have been in touch with many people, including those with Long Covid who want to get back to work but there are barriers in their way.

“Labour will never write people off in the way that the SNP and Tories do and we will put plans in place to help Scots return to work.

“We will reform sickness benefits to remove barriers to work and fix the broken Access to Work scheme.”