The Workshy Pandemic

Taxation is theft. As Libertarians, we knew that the moment income tax or NI “contributions” were taken out of our first pay packets. There has however, at times, been some sense of “we’re all in it together,” a degree of trauma-bonding knowing that our neighbours and colleagues have all been subject to the same state-intrusion into their bank accounts. Increasingly, a number of the population have chosen to opt out of that shared trauma, safe in the knowledge that as long as there are socialists the rest of us will be forced to pay their share. The pandemic of the workshy is in full swing.

There have always been, and likely always will be, those unable to work for reasons beyond their control. We hold no ill-will toward the young, the old and the infirm. It is right that they are supported as they are unable to support themselves. However, one might be forgiven for holding ill-will towards those who choose not to work. (Be careful not to be too vocal about it though, unless you want the police knocking at your door at 4 in the morning with regard to a “non-crime hate incident.”)

The latest data reveals 21.8% of adults in the UK aged 16-64 to be economically inactive, compared to 20.2% in Germany, and only 15% in The Netherlands. While some developed countries record figures into the thirties, almost all of those are significantly less generous than ourselves when it comes to unemployment and other benefits.

Interestingly, while we have seen a slight increase in those economically inactive since Covid, almost all other OECD countries have seen a decline. This could be down to the huge number of arrivals in the last few years of the Conservative government- since 2019, an average of over 50,000 foreign nationals a month have passed the “Universal Credit Habitual Residence” test. Naturally, Libertarians are supportive of migration as an individual choice. Any and all individual choices that don’t negatively impact other individuals are permissible. Moving to another country and having others fund your inactivity on arrival does not pass this test.

Though the myth of unfettered mass-migration being a pre-requisite for economic growth has been well and truly busted, reducing immigration alone is insufficient. Since the pandemic, the number of people signed off with a long term health condition has risen from 2 to almost 3 million- more than 7% of the working-age population. Accepting that the majority of those are genuinely unable to work, such a considerable uptick in just a few years may nonetheless be indicative of a certain trend:

Rates of self-reported long Covid in the UK are highest amongst those of working age not in work and not looking for work, higher even than those reported by the over 65s. Given that the elderly were more vulnerable to Covid during the pandemic, it seems strange that those of working age are more vulnerable to the virus’ long-term effects. (Cue the knock on the door.)

Earlier this year, even Queensland’s health officer (recall the Australian pandemic response made ours look almost sane) suggested that long-covid symptoms are no worse than those for flu. There are still several definitions of exactly what Long Covid is. The WHO for example, describes “post-Covid-19 condition” as being symptoms that cannot otherwise be explained and occur usually within three months of the onset of Covid-19, lasting for at least two months. The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), by comparison, defines Long Covid as a “multi-system condition” with symptoms that continue for more than four weeks. It adds that Long Covid may consist of “a number of distinct syndromes,” with “fatigue” being one of the most common symptoms. Such an ill-defined condition is ripe for abuse, which might explain why over two million of us think we have it. Google “long covid benefits” are you’re about two clicks away from an application form for statutory sick pay. (There’s that knock again.)

Then there is the mental health crisis. The number of police officers signed off with mental health issues is up 80% on a decade ago. While much of their role (the intimidation of journalists aside) is clearly very stressful, one wonders if the role has become 80% more stressful than a ten years ago. Of the two million Britons currently on universal credit health benefits, 69% of those cite “mental or behavioural concerns.” Of those, 94% are classified as unable to work. Earlier this year Sunak did decry the ease with which someone can get a sicknote from their GP (assuming they manage to get an appointment), yet another in a long list of Tory complaints about things that happened under their watch.

All complaints aside, it may well be true that there has been an increase in mental health conditions. One doubts whether the nation’s farmers, to take one example, are sleeping particularly well at the moment. Reported mental health concerns have increased following the pandemic, or, more accurately – since lockdown. It doesn’t take a degree in psychology to work out that forcefully separating people from their support networks for months on end might have an impact on their mental health. The forced closure of people’s businesses may not have helped either, nor the BBC’s nightly doom broadcasts, nor state funded adverts labelling the unmasked as murderers.

The number of children persistently absent from education is still double the pre-lockdown figure, many claiming “anxiety” as the reason for their inability to return. Who can blame them, when any semblance of routine was ripped from their lives by the hands of The State, and when eventually allowed to return to school were masked and prevented from interacting with their friends? Getting them to return now is made all the more difficult now there’s an increased probability that Mum is also absent (from work) on mental health grounds and they’re petrified of catching Long Covid like Dad.

While lockdown was hard on many, many others relished the opportunity for an extended holiday courtesy of the taxpayer. How many of us can claim, hand on heart, to have never watched a livestream of loaf of sourdough rising on a Wednesday morning or to have done a zoom quiz with friends on a Thursday afternoon in lockdown? For many, this holiday became a way of life, and Long Covid the potential passport to an indefinite extension. (*knocks intensify*)

To be perfectly clear officer- many of us have suffered and continue to suffer from the impacts of covid and mental health concerns. Many are unable to work as a result. It is, however, equally true that the workshy might be tempted to abuse these conditions for their own gain- and the data suggests this is happening. (*gets carted off to Belmarsh.)