Sick workers took record 187million days off last year – with minor illness the top complaint
BRITS took a record number of sick days last year, official data shows.
Sickly workers took off 185.6million days in 2022 because of illness or injury.
While the number was driven up by a larger workforce, it was a huge 47.4 million more than in 2019, the ONS said.
Minor illnesses like coughs and colds were the top reason but MPs warn the NHS crisis is also keeping ill patients out of work.
Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrats health spokesperson, said: “Behind these figures are millions of people across the country waiting in pain for treatment.
“People cannot see their GP when they need to, dental practices are closing their doors to NHS patients, pharmacies are closing and waits for hospital treatment are through the roof.
“The Government must come forward with a proper plan to bring down waiting times and recruit more NHS staff, to improve people’s health and allow them to get back to work.”
Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said: “The crisis in the NHS is forcing patients to wait months and even years for treatment, leaving many in pain and unable to work.
“We can’t build a healthy economy until we build a healthy society, where patients are seen on time again.”
Employment experts also warned there is a stress “crisis” with mental health days on the rise.
Brett Hill, of the consultancy Broadstone, said the data “should raise huge red flags for employers up and down the country”.
He said: “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.”
The ONS figures show the most sick days were taken by women, older workers and those with long-term health conditions.
People working part-time and those working in care, leisure or other service occupations also had the highest sickness rate.
David Freeman, of the ONS, said: “Sickness absence rose again in 2022, so that the proportion of working hours lost was the highest since 2004.
“This comes after it dropped to its lowest ever rate at the start of the pandemic, when lockdown and furloughing reduced people’s exposure to minor illnesses.
“Because the working population is much bigger now than it was nearly 20 years ago, in 2022 the total number of working days lost was the highest on record.”