ALLIANCE response to inquiry on the impact of the pandemic on the Scottish labour market

The ALLIANCE has provided input to the COVID-19 Recovery Committee's inquiry on the impact of COVID-19 on the Scottish labour market.

The COVID-19 Recovery Committee is considering the impact of COVID-19 on labour market inactivity and the prospects for recovery in the short medium and long term. The ALLIANCE has contributed to the committee’s call for views, ‘Road to recovery: impact of the pandemic on the Scottish labour market’ (this link will take you away from our website).

A key issue that has arisen as part of the economic and social recovery from COVID-19 is the emergence of a persistently high number of economically inactive people. The Office for National Statistics defines economic inactivity as “people not in employment who have not been seeking work within the last 4 weeks and/or are unable to start work within the next 2 weeks.”

The inquiry is seeking to understand what accounts for the above average long-term sick component of economically inactive people, and whether this is due to pre-existing conditions, or new conditions such as Long Covid, or other factors, such as stress brought on by pandemic experiences.

Our response draws on research findings from a range of relevant research into people’s experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts in Scotland.

ALLIANCE members have highlighted two key factors contributing to labour market inactivity in Scotland following the COVID-19 pandemic: Long Covid and burnout in health and social care workers.

Our key recommendations are summarised below:

• Implementation of fair work should include work to enable people working in care to have access to flexible working and top options of career progression pathways. This must be a key part of any work to develop the National Care Service and wider policy action around health and social care. The ALLIANCE recommends focusing on the principle of maximum available resource as one way in which the legislation could deliver its commitment to human rights based approaches.
• The Scottish Government should adopt a whole systems, human rights based, person centred approach to supporting people with Long Covid. This should prioritise lived experience and the vital work of the third sector, and operate an “any door” system of support.
• People living with Long Covid should have equitable access to high standards of support wherever they live in Scotland.
• Health and social care staff must be informed about Long Covid, its symptoms and impact on people, and options for treatment and support.
• People living with Long Covid must be able to access the range of entitlements they require to live independently and well and to engagement with their communities, including access to social care, social security, food, housing adaptations, and mobility aids.
• The Scottish Government should work with employers to ensure appropriate support and flexible work practices to enable people with Long Covid (and their unpaid carers) to enter or return to the workplace.

Read our full response below.

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