The sickness absence rate has fallen to an average of just over four days a year for every worker, according to new figures.
An estimated 148.9 million working days were lost in the UK because of sickness or injury in 2024, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The percentage of working hours lost fell by 0.3 percentage points over the year to 2%, said the report.
The sickness absence rate - the percentage of working hours lost because of sickness or injury - was 2.0% in 2024, 0.3 percentage points down on the previous year.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) June 4, 2025
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Minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence in 2024, accounting for almost a third of cases, followed by musculoskeletal problems at 15.5%.
Groups with the highest rates of sickness absence in 2024 included women, older workers, those with long-term health conditions, people working part-time and public sector workers, said the ONS.
It added that time lost averaged 4.4 days per worker in 2024.
Minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence in 2024, accounting for 30.0% of occurrences, followed by musculoskeletal problems at 15.5%. pic.twitter.com/r3Litl8gbz
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) June 4, 2025
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.”
