185.6 million working days lost to sickness in 2022

The figures represent an increase of 0.4 percentage points from 2021 and are the highest figures have been since 2004, when it was 2.7%.

The most common reason for sickness absence was minor illnesses, accounting for 29.3% of occurrences. All age groups experienced increases in their sickness absence rate in 2022.

This increase represents an increase of 35.8 million from 2021 and 47.4 million more than its pre-pandemic 2019 level. While the number of working days lost was a record high in 2022, days lost per worker was not, as the total number of workers in the UK has risen since the 1990s. The number of days lost per worker was 5.7 in 2022.

Minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence in 2022, accounting for 29.3% of occurrences of sickness absence. This was followed by "other" conditions at 23.8%, musculoskeletal problems at 10.5%, respiratory conditions at 8.3% and mental health conditions at 7.9%.

Respiratory conditions have overtaken mental health conditions as the fourth most common reason for sickness absence in 2022, accounting for more than twice the proportion of occurrences they did before the pandemic.

Brett Hill, head of health and protection at independent consultancy Broadstone, said: “After years of improving health in the workplace, sick days surged to a record high last year in concerning data which should raise huge red flags for employers up and down the country.

“The rapidly declining health of the nation’s workers will have a devastating impact on productivity. Bosses should brace for an acceleration of this trend in 2023 given the current crisis in the NHS with patients struggling to access appointments and treatment in good time. It is particularly worrying to see the record absences from those with longer-term health conditions as the evidence shows those who are off sick for extended periods often struggle to return to the workplace, resulting in permanent loss to the UK workforce.”

Dr Jo Burrell, co-founder and clinical psychologist at workplace wellbeing specialists, Ultimate Resilience, added: "Stress, anxiety and depression have been leading causes of workplace sickness absence for several years. Rates have increased further since the COVID-19 pandemic and are at their highest level for over two decades. Ongoing instabilities within the job market, the cost of living crisis and global threats such as climate change contribute to the daily pressures people experience and create fear and uncertainty about the future. This increases people’s vulnerability to stress and more serious ongoing mental health problems, leading to increases in sickness absence.

“Other factors such as workload and a lack of control or support in the workplace can also contribute to stress and sickness absence. Employers who monitor the impact of these factors on employees and take a strategic approach to reduce stress and enhance employee wellbeing create psychologically safe working environments that support positive mental health."