Long Covid costing UK workers up to £1.5bn yearly in lost income, says IFS

Previous research has shown that women with pre-existing medical conditions and those in poorer areas were more likely to suffer long Covid. But new evidence shows the condition is also more prevalent among deprived individuals. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA

Long Covid is costing the UK up to £1.5bn a year in lost earnings, researchers say, after the number of people suffering persistent symptoms of the virus doubled over the last 12 months.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the impact of a rise in long Covid cases from 1 to 2 million showed it was likely to be “a significant part of the pandemic’s legacy”.