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Written question asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 23 June 2026. It was answered by Baroness Sherlock (Labour) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Economic Situation: Migraines

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual cost of migraines to the UK economy.

Answer

The economic impact of migraines is recognised to arise from a range of factors, including working days lost and labour market participation. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that 3.1 million days were lost due to headaches and migraines in 2024. No information is available on the potential impact of migraine on labour market participation as no data is available from the Labour Force Survey - the primary source for such data.

We have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.

Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Our Pathways to Work support offer will ensure a coherent and navigable offer of support, building on and bringing together initiatives such as Connect to Work, WorkWell and local Trailblazers. Already, our Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work, is supporting disabled people, people with health conditions and people with complex barriers to employment across England and Wales.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL775
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Costs Economic situation Migraines
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk