Clifton Ingram’s employment law researchers have taken a deep dive into the latest sickness data released by the ONS to explore the patterns and trends last year, and over the last decade.
The sickness absence data, which was released on 4th June 2025, depicts annual sickness absence rates of workers across the UK labour market. It details the number of working days lost, and breaks down figures by region, sex, age group, and employment type.
The data also offers insight into sickness absence rates by type of illness, full- vs. part-time work, and private vs. public sector. This provides an insightful look at how absence impacts businesses across the UK and Northern Ireland, as well as how trends vary by industry and evolve over time.
In this blog, we’ll delve into the various data points mentioned above, and share some commentary on the factors that may be driving the patterns we’re seeing.
Key Sickness Absence Statistics
Firstly, we rounded up the most prominent data points from the data, to provide an overview of what we found during our research:
- The absence rate compared to working days in 2024 was 2%
- 149 million days were lost to sickness absence in 2024
- Women take more sick days than men
- 1 in 5 sick days were due to mental health
- Mental health sick days increased by 40% over 1 year
- Men were 18% more likely to take sick days for minor ailments
- Gen-Zs take fewer sick days than other age groups
- Public sector employees were 60% more likely to take a sick day than private
- Managers were 40% less likely to take a sick day than other workers
- Part-time workers were 37% more likely to take a sick day than full-time employees
Reasons for Sickness Absence 2024
The data broke down the reasons behind employee sick leave, and the number of working days lost to each cause. We also have this data broken down by sex, as follows:
| Reason given for sickness | 2024 days lost (millions) |
Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor illnesses | 33.0 | 32.7 | 27.7 |
| Musculoskeletal problems | 26.5 | 18.2 | 13.3 |
| Other | 23.6 | 14.9 | 15.3 |
| Mental health conditions | 20.5 | 7.7 | 11.5 |
| Gastrointestinal problems | 8.3 | 5.5 | 6.0 |
| Respiratory conditions | 11.3 | 1.4 | 2.9 |
| Eye/ear/nose/mouth/dental problems | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
| Genito-urinary problems | 4.8 | 5.8 | 8.5 |
| Heart, blood pressure, circulation problems | 4.1 | 0.3 | 4.2 |
| Headaches and migraines | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.7 |
| Prefers not to give details | 10.0 | 7.2 | 5.5 |
As is evident, almost 1 in 5 sick days in the UK and Northern Ireland can be attributed to mental health conditions. This is a huge increase of 40% over one year.
During this time, reports of minor illnesses accounted for 10 million fewer days lost. This could suggest that, as stigma surrounding mental health continues to decline, individuals may be increasingly likely to identify their condition as a mental health issue, rather than disguising it as a minor illness.
What’s more, over the last decade, women taking time off work for mental health conditions has significantly increased. Alongside this, reports of minor illnesses in women have simultaneously decreased, which marries up with our theory.
In contrast, men were 18% more likely to take sick days for minor ailments than women in 2024. However, reports of mental health conditions are much lower for men than they are for women.
We could posit that perhaps women experience poorer mental health than men. That said, ongoing conversations surrounding the men’s mental health epidemic calls this into question. More likely, the continued stigma surrounding mental health for men contributes to the disparity in these figures.
Sickness Absence 2024 by Age Group
The data also revealed some interesting figures surrounding sickness absence amongst different age groups:
| Age | Sickness Absence Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 1.3 |
| 25 to 34 | 1.6 |
| 35 to 49 | 1.7 |
| 50 to 64 | 2.8 |
| 65 and over | 3.1 |
Reports in 2024 implied that Gen-Z and Young Millennials were supposedly taking more sick days than their older counterparts.
The report quoted David H. Rosmarin, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He said, “Younger generations may feel more upset when they’re anxious and struggle more emotionally and behaviourally than previous generations.”
However, the UK data tells a different story; it clearly shows that young people take fewer sick days than older workers, which should come as little surprise given the generally poorer health associated with older age groups.
What the reports fail to consider is that sickness rates rose across the board, for all age groups, in 2022. When viewed in this broader context, it is clear that Gen-Z and Millennial workers still take significantly fewer sick days off than their older colleagues.
Sickness Absence Rate by Region
The data was also broken down by region, revealing some interesting statistics regarding how each area is impacted by workforce sickness absence rates.
Looking first at regional sickness absence rates - which highlights the percentage of worker time lost due to sickness, across the last decade - the data reveals the following:
| Year Þ
Region ß |
‘24 | ‘23 | ‘22 | ‘21 | ‘20 | ‘19 | ‘18 | ‘17 | ‘16 | ‘15 | ‘14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 1.9 |
| North West | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Wales | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| Scotland | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| Northern Ireland | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| West Midlands | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| South East | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| East Midlands | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| North East | 1.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
| East | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| London | 1.5 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
The South West region had the highest sickness absence rate in 2024, while London had the lowest. In the South East, where Clifton Ingram are based, sickness absence rates are also among the lowest.
However, regional sickness patterns have shifted over time. In fact, the South West had one of the lowest rates back in 2020, while Wales consistently placed as one of the highest across the board.
In fact, on average across the last decade, Wales, Scotland and the North of England topped the charts for sickness absence rates. In contrast, London, the Midlands and the Southern regions have maintained some of the lowest levels.
Why Are Sickness Absence Rates in the North Higher Than the South?
Prevalence of Manual and Physically Demanding Jobs in North and Wales
Regions such as Wales, Scotland, and the North of England have historically had higher concentrations of manual labour and physically demanding occupations. These roles are associated with increased physical strain and a higher risk of injury, leading to elevated sickness absence rates.
Occupational Structure and Remote Work Opportunities
London and the South East boast a higher proportion of professional, managerial, and office-based roles, many of which offer flexibility such as remote work. These positions typically involve less physical strain and provide greater autonomy, contributing to lower sickness absence rates.
In 2022, workers who had the option to work from home reported the lowest sickness absence rates, at just 1.4%. The concentration of such roles in London and the South East likely contributes to the lower sickness absence rates in these areas.
Age Demographics of the Workforce
Regions with older working populations tend to exhibit higher sickness absence rates, as older individuals are more susceptible to health issues.
As we’ve seen above, the sickness absence rate for workers aged 65 and over is significantly higher than that of younger workers. Consequently, areas like Wales and Scotland, which have older average populations, are likely to experience higher sickness absence rates.
Mental Health Challenges and Public Sector Employment
Mental health issues have become a significant factor in sickness absence, particularly in regions with substantial public sector employment. In 2022, public sector workers accounted for 13% of sick days due to mental health issues, compared to 7% in the private sector.
Given that areas like Wales and Scotland have higher public sector employment, this may contribute to elevated sickness absence rates.
Socio-Economic Factors and Health Inequalities
Socio-economic deprivation correlates with poorer health outcomes and higher sickness absence. In post-industrial areas of Wales, such as Blaenau Gwent, high rates of long-term sickness among the economically inactive population have been reported, surpassing both Welsh and UK averages.
Sickness Absence Days Lost by Region
A closer look at the number of working days lost due to sickness absence, by region, in 2024, reveals that the South East recorded the highest total, with 22.5 million days lost. The remaining regions in the UK and Northern Ireland lost the following number of days to sickness in 2024:
| Geographic area | Days lost 2024 (millions) |
|---|---|
| South East | 22.5 |
| North West | 18.1 |
| London | 16.2 |
| South West | 15.2 |
| West Midlands | 13.3 |
| Scotland | 13.1 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 12.2 |
| East | 11.0 |
| East Midlands | 10.9 |
| Wales | 7.2 |
| Northern Ireland | 4.7 |
| North East | 4.6 |
That being said, a deep-dive into this data is of little use when we consider population size in each area. As such, when discussing how each region compares to one another, focusing on the sickness absence rate in each region, which normalises the figures, is pertinent.
Sickness Absence Rate by Region and Sex
Following from this, the distribution between male and female sickness absence rates by region is as follows:
| Sex Þ
Region ß |
Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| East | 1.0 | 2.2 |
| East Midlands | 1.4 | 2.8 |
| London | 1.1 | 1.9 |
| North East | 1.4 | 2.2 |
| North West | 1.7 | 2.9 |
| Northern Ireland | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| Scotland | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| South East | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| South West | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Wales | 1.8 | 3.1 |
| West Midlands | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 1.7 | 2.7 |
In 2024, men in the West Midlands and Northern Ireland had the highest prevalence of absence, while the lowest was seen in London and the East.
Comparatively, women in Wales and the South West had the highest prevalence of absence, with the lowest in London and the West Midlands.
The reasons behind these regional differences are not entirely clear, but job type may be a contributing factor. For example, men in the West Midlands and Northern Ireland may be more likely to work in physical or manual roles compared to those in the South – a trend which coincides with some of our socio-economic regional commentary above.
Similarly, women in Wales and the South West may be more likely to be in care and health jobs, which are notoriously poor for mental health, in comparison to office or work from home jobs in London. Notably, the data shows that 82% of the social care workforce in Wales is made up of women.
Sickness Absence Data Public vs Private Sectors
We can also see some revelations surrounding sickness absence rates in the private vs. the public sector, as follows:
| Sector Type | Sickness Absence Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Private | 1.8 |
| Public | 2.9 |
Why Are Public Sector Absence Rates Higher?
Healthcare Jobs Taking a Huge Mental and Physical Toll
As we have already deduced, the health sector – which makes up a huge part of the public sector – has a much higher rate for sickness absence than other industries. Education and social care follow a similar pattern, as these are also physically and emotionally demanding professions.
These roles often involve direct interaction with the public, exposure to illnesses, and high-stress environments, leading to increased sickness absence.
More Generous Sick Pay in the Public Sector
Public sector employees typically have more generous sick pay provisions compared to their private sector counterparts. This financial security may lead to a higher likelihood of taking sick leave when unwell, whereas private sector employees might be more inclined to work through illness due to less favourable sick pay arrangements.
Workforce Demographics
The public sector workforce tends to be older on average. Older employees are more susceptible to health issues, which can result in higher sickness absence rates.
Organisational Size and Culture
Public sector organisations are often larger and, in such settings, individual absences may have a less immediate impact on operations. This can lead to a culture where taking sick leave is more acceptable.
In contrast, employees in smaller private sector firms might feel more pressure to attend work when unwell due to the direct impact on business operations.
Types of Public Sector Organisations
Some of our observations outlined above are supported by the following breakdown of public sector organisation types and their corresponding sickness absence rates:
| Public sector department | Sickness Absence Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Central Government | 1.8 |
| Local Government | 2.8 |
| Health | 3.5 |
As is evident, the health sector reports a sickness absence rate well above the national average, and we have covered some reasoning behind this above.
Surprisingly, though, the local government sector also has a higher-than-average rate of sickness absence. This could be due to some of the following reasons:
High-Stress Frontline Roles
Local government employees often occupy frontline positions in social care, housing, environmental services, and community support. These roles are emotionally and physically demanding, frequently involving direct interaction with vulnerable populations and exposure to challenging situations. Such conditions contribute to increased stress and burnout, leading to higher sickness absence rates.
Impact of Austerity Measures
Over the past decade, local authorities have faced substantial budget cuts due to austerity measures. These financial constraints have led to reduced staffing levels and increased workloads for remaining employees, heightening stress and the likelihood of sickness absence.
Workforce Demographics
The local government workforce tends to have a higher average age, and older employees are more susceptible to health issues, which can result in increased sickness absence. Additionally, a higher proportion of female employees, who statistically have higher sickness absence rates, may contribute to the overall figures.
Administrative and Cultural Factors
Local authorities often have more structured and transparent sickness absence reporting systems compared to smaller private sector organisations. This transparency can lead to more accurate reporting of absences. However, it may also contribute to higher recorded absence rates.
Absence Sickness Rate 2024 by Job Type
Data surrounding occupation type and sickness absence rates reveals some eye-opening statistics:
| Occupation Groups | Sickness absence rate 2024 (%) |
|---|---|
| Managers and Senior Officials | 1.3 |
| Professional Occupations | 1.8 |
| Associate Professional And Technical Occupations | 1.9 |
| Administrative And Secretarial Occupations | 2.0 |
| Skilled Trades Occupations | 2.1 |
| Caring, Leisure And Other Service Occupations | 2.5 |
| Sales And Customer Service Occupations | 2.4 |
| Process, Plant And Machine Operatives | 2.6 |
| Elementary Occupations | 2.9 |
What stands out most here is the low absence rates among managerial positions. This is somewhat unexpected, given that many managers fall into older age groups - a demographic that, as we’ve established, has a higher absence rate than their younger counterparts.
As such, we have explored some potential reasoning behind these figures:
Why Are Managers Experiencing Lower Sickness Absence Rates Than Other Jobs?
Greater Autonomy and Job Control
Managers and Senior Officials typically have more control over their workload, schedules, and working environments. This autonomy reduces stress-related triggers associated with rigid structures and micro-management, contributing to fewer sickness absences.
Research suggests that job control is a protective factor for physical and mental health; a major reason why managerial staff take less time off.
Remote/Hybrid Work Access
Higher-status roles are more likely to be performed remotely or in hybrid settings. As explored previously, the ability to work from home has been associated with lower sickness absence rates.
Managers are also more likely to work through minor illness from home, avoiding the need to take formal sick leave.
Lower Physical Demands
Managerial roles are predominantly desk-based and involve less physical strain than roles like process operatives or care workers.
Physically intensive jobs (e.g., in "Process, Plant and Machine Operatives" and "Elementary Occupations") have higher risks of musculoskeletal injury, fatigue, and illness, explaining rates of 2.6% and 2.9% respectively.
Stress May Be Present, But Managed Differently
While management roles can be high-pressure, these individuals often have access to better support structures, private healthcare, or occupational health services.
There may also be cultural or institutional disincentives to taking sick leave among senior staff, e.g. presenteeism due to leadership responsibility. Additionally, it’s possible that those who have become managers may have achieved such a role due to consistently high attendance throughout their careers.
Sickness Absence Data Full- vs Part-Time Sectors
Finally, ending on some surprising figures regarding sickness absence rates for full- vs. part-time workers, we can see that the rates for part-time workers are much higher than those for full-time:
| Sector Type | Sickness Absence Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Full time | 1.9 |
| Part time | 2.6 |
Why Are Part-Time Workers Taking More Sick Leave Than Full-Time Workers?
Occupational Segmentation
Part-time roles are disproportionately concentrated in sectors such as:
- Health and social care
- Retail and hospitality
- Education support and clerical work
As we have discussed, these sectors are often physically and emotionally demanding, with high levels of burnout, stress, and public interaction, contributing to greater sickness absence.
By contrast, full-time workers are more likely to be employed in professional or managerial roles, which tend to be less physically intensive and offer greater flexibility.
Demographic Factors
Part-time workers include a higher proportion of:
- Women, especially those balancing caregiving responsibilities.
- Older workers, who may choose part-time roles as a pre-retirement option.
- Individuals with health limitations who are unable to sustain full-time hours.
These demographics tend to have higher underlying health risks, increasing the likelihood of taking sick leave.
Work Patterns and Job Security
Part-time roles are more likely to involve shift work, unstable schedules, and limited job control, which can negatively affect both physical and mental health. Some part-time employees may feel less job security or support, making it harder to manage workload or recover from illness efficiently.
Access to Benefits and Support
Part-time workers may have reduced access to occupational health services, sick pay schemes, and workplace flexibility. This lack of support can prolong health issues and lead to more frequent or longer sickness absence spells.
Sickness Absence Measurement Quirk
Statistically, if a part-time worker takes one day off sick, it constitutes a larger percentage of their total working time than it would for a full-time employee. This can inflate the absence rate even if the number of actual sick days is comparable between both groups.
Looking Ahead to 2025…
As we can see, sickness absence rates vary greatly depending on various factors, including gender, age, job type, and region. What’s more, the sickness rates can fluctuate considerably from year to year, influenced by socio-economic and environmental conditions.
If you’re a business owner and are in need of employment law advice regarding high sickness absence rates in your company, the experts at Clifton Ingram will be happy to help. Simply head to our contact page for more information.
Data Sources and Methodology
This report is based on the Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2023 to 2024 data released by the Office for National Statistics on 4th June 2025.
The data covers Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland, and our main focus is on the data for 2024, however, we also look across the last decade of stats, up to and including 2014.
For more information on how the data has been sourced and worked out, please head to the data source above.
Please also note, all interpretations of the data are that of the Clifton Ingram researchers