UK workers are taking fewer sick days as figures reveal new average
The number of sick days taken per person was down in 2024
The average number of sick days taken by UK workers has fallen, according to new data, as the average amount taken by each worker is revealed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that 148.9 million working days were lost due to illness or injury in 2024. This equates to 2 per cent of total working hours – a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous year.
Minor illnesses were the most frequent cause of absence, accounting for nearly a third of all cases. Musculoskeletal problems were the next most common reason, responsible for 15.5 per cent of absences.
The ONS data indicated that women, older employees, individuals with long-term health issues, part-time workers, and public sector employees had the highest rates of sick leave in 2024. The average time lost per worker in 2024 was 4.4 days.
Amanda Walters, director of the Safe Sick Pay campaign, an alliance campaigning for sick pay reform, said: “The fall in sickness absence may seem a positive development but the figures mask the fact that far too many UK workers regularly go to work when they are too ill.
“We are amongst the least likely to take sick days in Europe as our woeful statutory sick pay system is forcing millions of people to drag themselves into work ill, risking their long term health because they need to pay the bills. This costs the economy billions in lost productivity.
“The Government is fixing one part of the problem by improving sick pay coverage for some lower earners in the employment Bill, but is not doing enough to sort out the sorry state of our sick pay system.
“The weekly rate of sick pay remains just £3 an hour for a full time worker. If we are serious about improving the health of the working age population, the Government needs to stop ignoring the elephant in the room and put statutory sick pay in line with the minimum wage.”
Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said: “Enabling people to take time off when they are sick to get better and return to work in good health is critical for a robust and successful labour market.
“Workers feeling unable to take time to recover and recuperate can lead to health issues becoming more serious over time, increasing the risk that they might join the near record number of people who are already out of the labour market due to ill health.
“The UK’s statutory sick pay of £118.75 a week is lower than the majority of OECD countries, and our research shows that 47 per cent of UK businesses do not pay above the statutory minimum.
“This can mean those who rely on statutory sick pay can face a choice between making ends meet or looking after their health.”