Soaring workplace sickness costing an extra £30bn a year as days off double since 2018

Soaring workplace illness is costing UK firms an extra £30billion a year with days off sick doubling since 2018, a report reveals. It describes the UK as ‘the sick man of Europe’, with poor quality jobs, overconsumption of unhealthy food, smoking, gambling and low rate of investment impacting public health. Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at IPPR, said: ‘Too often, UK workers are being pressured to work through sickness when that’s not appropriate – harming their wellbeing, and reducing productivity. There are now 2.8million people inactive due to long-term sickness, with this figure having increased by 127,000 in the past year alone ‘We should strive to make sure the work we do is good for our health, that we have the time to recover when we need it, and to ensure businesses both contribute to and benefit from population health. 'Focusing on systematically leading, supporting and improving a culture of wellbeing has long term benefits for all employers who make that commitment to their staff.’ A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: ‘No-one should be forced to choose between their health and financial hardship, which is why we plan to strengthen statutory sick pay so it provides a safety net for those who need it most.’