Why are UK workers taking more sick days – and should employers be worried?

Absences from work due to illness hit a record high in 2022, recent government figures show, while experts say public health is getting worse. Here’s what you need to know

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Is the UK once again the ‘sick man of Europe’? With soaring inflation and interest rates and Brexit dragging on trade, the economy is clearly not in rude health.

Neither is the country’s workforce, according to recent ONS data that revealed we are taking more sick leave than ever. British workers missed a collective 185.6 million days of work due to sickness or injury in 2022, equivalent to nearly six days each. It’s the highest number of sick days per worker since 2004, and the largest number overall since records began.

That could be worrying news for employers. Worker absence can lead to lower productivity, more stress for other employees and even costly temporary cover. So what is driving the increase – and is there anything employers can do about it?