COMMENT

BRITAIN won’t succeed if we don’t make use of everyone’s talents.

There’s over a million job vacancies – more than there are unemployed people who might fill them. So employers should consider the nine million people who have not recently looked for work. In the jargon, they’re “economically inactive”.

This is more than one in five people of working age. It includes people who have retired early, are long-term sick or disabled, or are carers.

People aged 50 to 65 who are considering a return to work say flexible working is the most important factor. We know work is good for health, but critically the NHS does not particularly link up with work.

Simple things like GPs’ guidelines should link to managing at work, says the Federation of Small Business. Firms should invest in occupational health to help people stay healthy.

Work will not be right for all. But too many are written off before trying.