Long-term sickness: is it as fun as the media make it sound?

MORE than 2.8 million Britons are living it up by being too ill to work, instead revelling in long, lazy days untroubled by responsibility. But is there a downside? 

Shortages of content

To you, a wageslave, there’s a wealth of streaming viewing. But to the long-term sick who can binge a season in a single day, there isn’t anywhere near enough. It’s tough, struggling your way through Brooklyn Nine-Nine for a third time. It can even make you wish you didn’t have limited mobility and government cuts hadn’t taken away your car.

Lack of motivation

When you’re getting a living allowance generous enough for a pack of Aldi digestive biscuits every fortnight, it can be hard to motivate yourself. You’ll find yourself lying in bed, staring at the sky, wondering why you even bother. Also you’re confined to bed by lung disease after a lifetime working with asbestos, on top of the motivation issue.

Less community feeling

Being freed from the nine to five means unhurried picnics in parks with friends where the sun never seems to set. Or so you’d believe. But often the long-term sick, deprived of the cameraderie of the office, fail to take advantage of social opportunities because they are too tired, broke or quadraplegic.

Regular appointments

There’s no more packed diary of meetings, conferences and diversity training awaydays when you’re off ill, but that doesn’t mean you’re free as a bird. Whether you’re picking up prescriptions, receiving medical care for a terminal condition or attending an assessment interview to prove you’re still blind, the schedule soon fills up.

Chronic pain

With a long week stretching ahead, it’s easy to imagine being in constant pain at home would be sweet relief. Yet surprisingly, this is often not the case because chronic pain, disability, struggles with mental health and an underfunded health service can take their own toll. So next time you’re considering being long-term sick, think again.