Invalid benefit snapshot

In 1990 27,830 were on an invalid's benefit. Today there are 74,500.

People on this benefit for psychological or psychiatric reasons make up 27 percent, the highest incapacity group.

In 1990 48 percent of invalid beneficiaries were under 40 - that has dropped to 30 percent, which reflects our aging population.

The percentage that are female has grown from 40 to 47.

75.3 percent have been on this or another benefit continuously for four or more years.

(There is some discussion about the reasons for these steep increases in the comments section of "Sickness benefit snapshot".)