MORE than two in five Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents were economically inactive in 2021, new census figures show.

The Resolution Foundation said rising numbers of people in economic inactivity must be addressed as Treasurer Jeremy Hunt aimed to get people back to work with his Spring Budget.

Census figures from the Office for National Statistics show 137,690 residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole were economically inactive between March 15 and 22 2021.

An economically inactive person is aged 16 and over and did not have a job in that time period, could not start work in the next two weeks, or had not looked for work in the month before.

It meant 41.1 per cent of over-16s in the area were economically inactive.

Across the two countries, 19.1 million over-16s (39.4 per cent) were economically inactive.

Louise Murphy, economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: "Levels of inactivity vary significantly across the UK, and tend to be highest in places where the population is older, and where long-term illness is widespread, such as deprived, ex-industrial areas.

"Economic inactivity is also concentred in low-income households. One-in-three adults in the poorest tenth of households have a disability, compared to fewer than one-in-ten adults among the richest families.

"The right approach to boosting workforce participation should therefore focus both on tackling place-based inequalities, as well as raising living standards for the poorest families."

Amanda Walters, director of the Safe Sick Pay campaign, highlighted rising numbers of people not working due to long-term sickness or disability.

"Help from the Government to support these people back into work will be very welcome, but people fear what happens if they get ill again," she added.

"The 'back to work' Budget had the right focus, but it was an own goal from the Chancellor not to make sick pay available for everyone from the first day of illness."

The census figures show 13,135 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents were not working or looking for work due to long-term sickness or disability in March 2021.

A further 82,995 had retired.

It meant long-term sickness or disability accounted for 9.5% of the economically inactive people in the area, while 60.3 per cent were retired.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he will deliver growth with his 'back to work' Budget by "removing obstacles that stop businesses investing, tackling labour shortages that stop them recruiting, and by breaking down barriers that stop people working".