According to new statistics, poor mental health is now responsible for 1 in 6 long-term absences from work in the UK. This highlights a growing crisis of employee wellbeing.
BrightHR, the leading provider of health and safety software for HR, has released data that shows an increase in absences due to mental illness, from 1 in 12 employees in 2016 to 2 in 12.
BrightHR’s findings were based on the data collected by over 64,000 businesses, and more than 750,00 employees in the UK. Mental health problems, such as stress, anxiety and depression, account for 16.5 percent all absences lasting more than four weeks.
The report shows that long-term mental health absences have increased steadily since 2016, reaching a peak in 2021 of 16.8 percent. Stress is the most common cause of long-term absences due to mental health, accounting for 42 percent in 2024. This was followed by anxiety (27%) and general mental health concerns (17%).
Alan Price, CEO at BrightHR, spoke out about the alarming trend. “Poor mental wellbeing is now responsible for one in six long-term absences in the UK. This is a significant increase from one in twelve before the COVID-19 epidemic.” We’ve known about the mental health crisis for some time, but the impact of long-term sickness leave is now apparent.
Pandemic and the cost of living crisis
Price cited the combination of pressures from the pandemic, and the cost-of living crisis as factors which exacerbated mental issues in the last few years. Price warned that this worrying trend will not reverse without major action.
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) data confirms that 17 million working hours will be lost due to stress, anxiety or depression in 2022/23. Lord Darzi’s report also highlights the magnitude of the problem, noting that 900,000 Britons of working age are now economically inactive, compared to when the pandemic began in 2020.
Price said that while government initiatives are in place, such as reforms to Mental Health Act, and increased mental healthcare staffing, employers must also take responsibility for the problem.
Employers must be proactive in supporting their employees’ wellbeing. This includes creating a supportive, open work environment, giving employees access to mental-health resources, and making reasonable changes to reduce stress at the workplace.
Mental health issues are at an all-time high, and the burden is growing on employees as well as businesses. BrightHR urges companies to prioritize mental health to avoid long-term absences, and to maintain productivity.
