Two-thirds of workers in the UK have admitted to going into work while sick, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The statistics, released on May 1, reveal that 67% of employees worked when they felt they should have taken time off due to illness.
Average Sick Days Rise to 4.4 in 2025
The ONS sickness absence data shows that the average worker took 4.4 days off sick in 2025. This figure comes as the UK continues to offer one of the lowest rates of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in Europe, currently set at £123.25 per week.
Employer Sick Pay Provision Lags Behind
Nearly half of employers (47%) do not provide sick pay beyond the statutory minimum, leaving many workers without adequate financial support when they fall ill.
Expert Calls for Policy Shift
Asli Atay, Senior Policy Advisor at the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, commented on the figures. She stated: "It's critical that reducing sickness absence is not the sole focus of policymakers."
Atay explained: "Today's figures suggest sickness absence from the workplace in the UK has stabilised with the average worker taking 4.4 days off in 2025. However, Work Foundation research found that two in three workers (67%) have gone to work sick and felt they should have taken time off. That's why it's critical that reducing sickness absence is not the sole focus of policymakers – rather the aim must be to ensure all workers who fall ill have the support and financial security to take leave and recuperate when they need it."
Impact on Vulnerable Groups
Atay highlighted that certain groups face higher levels of ill health, including women and older workers. She added: "This is particularly true for workers with long-term health conditions, as data suggests that they are four times (4% vs 1%) more likely to take sick leave than those without health conditions. Yet many still face a stark choice between pushing through when unwell or taking the time off they need to manage their health condition."
She warned that failing to take adequate sick leave could worsen health problems over time, potentially increasing the number of people who are economically inactive due to ill health, which currently stands at nearly 2.8 million.
Employment Rights Act 2025 Brings Changes
Atay noted that changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025 have extended SSP access to over a million low-paid workers for the first time, with millions more gaining access from the first day of illness. However, she argued that these steps do not go far enough.
"The UK still has one of the lowest rates of Statutory Sick Pay in Europe at £123.25, and nearly half of employers in the UK do not go beyond the statutory minimum," she said. Atay called on the UK government to set out a roadmap for increasing the rate of SSP to help boost workforce participation and keep Britain working in the future.
