One in nine taking time off work for mental health, as many struggle to access support
One in nine (11%) workers have taken time off work for mental health reasons in the past year, according to new data from leading health plan provider Simplyhealth, with over a quarter (27%) of those doing so taking more than two weeks.
Younger people, especially, struggle with their mental health in the workplace, with almost one in five (16%) 18-34 year olds taking time off work for mental health compared to one in ten (10%) of workers aged 35-54.
One in nine (11%) working Brits took time off work for mental health last year, with over a quarter (27%) of those doing so taking more than two weeks off, according to new data from health benefits provider Simplyhealth.
Almost one in five (16%) younger workers (18-34) took time off for mental health reasons, compared to one in ten (10%) 35–54-year-olds.
Previous NHS data shows an estimated 875,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 17.1 million working days lost.1
The new data found mental health was the third most common reason for taking time off work, behind minor illnesses (23%) and muscle or joint pain (12%).
The majority of people who took sick leave for these other complaints took up to two days off (57% and 47% respectively), compared to the two weeks most common for those taking time for mental health reasons (27%). Mental health, therefore, often led to longer periods of sickness than other common reasons for sick leave last year.
Three-quarters (73%) of businesses say they feel greater responsibility to look after the health of all their employees in the wake of longer NHS waiting times, however, only 40% of employees are offered health plans or EAPs, which can be provided to them with a lower cost to the employer.
Of employers that did provide health benefits, 46% noticed employees taking fewer sick days. By offering health benefits, such as health plans, employers can help support employee wellbeing and reduce the number of sick days taken by employees.
Paul Schreier, CEO at Simplyhealth, said: “With workers increasingly taking time off for mental health issues, employers need access to simple, easy and affordable solutions for their employees, particularly when it comes to mental health support.
“By offering mental health benefits to their employees, businesses can support their workers by preventing symptoms from worsening in the first place, encouraging a healthy, happy, and productive workforce.”
Proper support is critical to help employees struggling with mental health and prevent conditions worsening in the long term. While there’s an urgent need for policy changes to better support those struggling, there is also a place for employers to offer accessible and efficient mental health services. This could range from access to 24/7 helplines to long-term counselling, or even mental health first aid training.
This year’s mental health awareness week’s theme is community. For workers, our colleagues often form a part of our community, hence why it is so important we feel supported in this huge part of our daily lives.
Mark Rowland, Chief Executive at the Mental Health Foundation
To help businesses better support their workforce’s mental wellbeing, Simplyhealth has launched “Simply Essentials”, an annual digital healthcare subscription which offers mental health support such as emergency help and longer-term counselling, all underpinned by on-demand access to a range of self-pay services from open-ended digital, therapy to neurodiversity assessments and mental health coaching from just £3 a month.
The Mental Health Foundation’s publication provides guidance to help employers understand what they can offer to best support their employees’ mental health.
Some top tips for supporting mental health at work include:
Talking about your feelings: This can help you maintain your mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled.
Exercise: Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and can help you concentrate, sleep, and generally feel better.
Ask for help: None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed. Your employer may have an Employee Assistance Programme. These services are confidential and can be accessed free and in confidence.
Visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications to download for free.
The charity has also developed an e-learning course with Mental Health at Work: ‘Mental Health & Wellbeing in the modern workplace’, for more information visit: https://mentalhealthatwork.com/mental-health-programmes/e-learning
Footnotes
1.NHS England, https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2024-25/
Methodology
Between 31st January – 10th February 2025, Opinium surveyed 500 HR DMs in UK businesses and a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK employees about their workplace health and wellbeing and employer practice.
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