//…how do you know that this is true?//
Because I personally know four people of whom this is true. I know them well, I know their personal circumstances and I know why they are not working (because they choose not to). That confirms that not all of the people who are not working would like to do so. As well as that, I encounter quite a few people in the work that I currently do who are in a similar position. When their circumstances are discussed it is often clear that there is no valid reason why they should not work. Expanding that a little, I doubt I am the only person in this country that knows of such people. The fact that no official statistics are published is unsurprising. Nobody who wants the State to support them and their families 100% is going to declare that they are simply indolent. For its part, the government is hardly going to admit to doling out money to those who are simply work-shy. If you choose to believe that everybody of working age who is unemployed would love to work if only given the opportunity, that’s your privilege. Personally I’m not so gullible.
//What benefit(s) do those folk receive?//
Couldn’t possibly say, Corby. The benefits system is so complex and convoluted that they could be in receipt of any of a large number of handouts. But that isn’t the complete point. Even leaving cash benefits aside, if they are not working and do not have a private income they are not contributing towards the facilities and services that they use. They will need medical treatment, their children will need education, they may use public transport (to name but a few). The country relies on those who can to pull their weight.
//in that 50 years we have had periods of high and low economic growth which does not suggest that they have anything to do with this country's prosperity//
Which demonstrates my point perfectly. Throughout that period there have been somewhere between one in four and one in five people of working age “inactive”. During that time the UK has not particularly prospered. It’s kept its head above water is about the best that can be said.
//... and of course the chart says nothing about the reasons for inactivity... i would guess that most of them are stay-at-home parents but that is only a guess//
I would put the number of stay-at -home parents (where the other partner is working) to be around 2.5m at most - and I think that's an over-estimate. There are somewhere in the region of 10m people of working age “inactive”. I accept that this includes students. But that's another area that the government should concern itself with (and somewhat off-topic for this thread).