LOW pay and poor working conditions are bad for your health MSPs have been told.

Researchers in Glasgow have found that job insecurity and poverty wages is damaging for mental and physical health.

They found in work poverty has increased in recent years and while employment across Scotland may be increasing the quantity and quality of jobs available to job seekers was poorer than seven years ago.

The Scottish Parliament Economy Committee was hearing evidence on the impact work has on health and wellbeing.

Glasgow Centre for Population health said between 2008 and 2013 there was a drop in vacancies for JSA claimants.

For every 10 claimants in 2008 there were 6.2 jobs which fell to 2.9 jobs per 10 claimants in 2013.

It found low pay, fewer job benefits, zero hour contracts and lack of training opportunities contributed to a decline in the quality of jobs that were available.

Lorna Kelly, of GCPH told the committee: “Employment status and hours available creates a huge amount of stress. Zero hours contracts with wage fluctuation makes it difficult to plan and manage money. Financial stress has an impact on mental health.”

She was asked by Green MSP for Glasgow, Patrick Harvie, if wealth needs to be shared more equally.

He said: “An increasing share of wealth is hoarded disproportionately by a small number of people.”

Ms Kelly said: “Inequality is bad for health, bad for economic growth.”

NHS officials said studies had shown for some the detrimental impact of poor quality work was worse than having no job at all

In a written submission to the committee NHS Scotland said: “For working-age adults, being out of paid employment is bad for health, increasing the risk of premature mortality by more than 60% and increasing the risk of morbidity, especially poor mental health.

“Work which fails to protect against poverty, or harms the physical or mental health of workers, is also detrimental to health. For some it may be no better than being unemployed.”