Investing in people’s health, both physical and mental, is a key way the government will be able to stimulate sustained economic growth, a think-tank has argued.

The Good Growth Foundation has argued in both a report and an opinion article that putting money behind improving health needs to be at the heart of the government’s growth ambitions.

In a report, ‘Mind the growth gap’, more than half of people polled (56.6%) put ‘investing in health’ as their most appealing plan for growing the economy, joint top with ‘creating more opportunities’.

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More than half (53%) also said investing in mental health would help kickstart growth either a lot (19%) or a little (34%). Investing in physical health was seen even more positively, with 60% of respondents in all saying this would be a good thing for government to focus on, split between 21% saying this would help a lot and 39% a little.

“The most popular measures to stimulate the economy have people – their skills, their health, their wellbeing – at the core,” the report said.

“The public understands there is no productive economy when millions are out of work due to ill health. They see no point in creating jobs if the people in their community do not have the skills to fill them. They know that people cannot thrive if they’re stranded by hopeless transport links.

“Growth policy should therefore focus on healthcare, skills and transport. Policy areas where the link is less tangible, such as clean power and housebuilding, need to be related back to what is actually delivered for people: lower bills and lower rent or mortgages, respectively,” it added.

Separately, The Times newspaper has today highlighted research from the foundation arguing that more than a third (35%) of 1,200 businesses surveyed feel employee absence is a hindrance to their business, with a similar percentage 32% warning of the difficulties of retaining workers.

It also pointed to findings that more than three-quarters (78%) of businesses are demanding measures to boost the mental and physical health of the working-age population to improve labour force participation and boost growth.

Praful Nargund, director of the foundation, told the newspaper: “The message from UK business is clear: the government must address workforce health to improve economic stability and growth prospects.”

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