Respondents who were not currently in employment were asked what barriers existed that prevented them from working. This included persons who were unable to work due to long-standing health problems and persons who may have been laid off due to COVID-19 and had not yet returned to work at the time of interview. Note: More than one option can be selected by respondents.

There are various reasons that may be a barrier to returning to the workforce. The most common barrier was that they were unable to work due to long-standing health problems, cited by early three in ten (28.4%) persons not currently employed, while one in sixteen (5.8%) had general health problems and 3.2% cited health reasons associated with being COVID-19 vulnerable. See table 4.1 and Figure 4.1.

Just short of one in eight (12.9%) said that they were not in a position to return to work as they were caring for dependent family or friend, while one in nine (10.9%) said that they had childcare issues that prevented them from returning to the workplace. One in fourteen (7%) said that there was no work available, and 5.4% said that they were awaiting re-call to work following lay-off. See Table 4.1.

Analysis of the barriers to employment by ability to make ends meet, shows that over one third (36.0%) of those finding it difficult to make ends meet, had long-standing health problems preventing them from working. One in twelve (11.9%) persons struggling to make ends meet cited financial reasons for not returning to the workplace. See Table 4.1.

Over one in five (21.4%) persons not currently in employment said that there was no barrier preventing them from returning to work. Almost half (49.5%) of persons who said that they have little difficulty making ends meet, are not currently in employment, but say that there is no barrier preventing them from returning to the workplace. Just over one in sixteen (6.7%) of those finding it difficult to make ends meet, cited no barrier to employment. See Table 4.1.

One in six (16.1%) persons struggling to make ends meet and not currently in employment were caring for a dependent or family member, compared with 4.1% who were having a lot of difficulty making ends meet and were not in a position to retun to work because of childcare issues. See Table 4.1.

Analysis of barriers to employment by self-perceived health status shows that apart from those citing health-related barriers to work, the respondents self-perceived health status was very good or good. However, over one in ten (11.4%) whose health was fair, were caring for dependent family or friend. Nearly one in twenty-five (3.8%) persons not currently in employment who had cited financial reasons for not going back to work also said that they were in poor health. Over one third (35.3%) of persons not currently employed and in very good health, had no barrier to their return to the workplace.  See Table 4.2.