High workplace stress is continuing to push UK employees into sick leave, with new polling suggesting many still do not believe their employer treats mental health as a genuine priority backed by action.
One in five workers said they had taken time off due to poor mental health caused by stress over the past year, while younger adults were far more likely to report absence for the same reason. The findings add to concerns about sustained pressure across the workforce and the risk of repeated absence when recovery is not properly supported.
The data also points to a persistent gap between employer messaging and practical support, with many workers saying managers lack the time, training or resources to respond effectively when stress levels rise.
The findings are set out in a 2026 Burnout Report by Mental Health UK and based on YouGov polling of 4,502 UK adults, including 2,591 workers. The charity said its annual snapshot showed stress levels remained high, with 91 percent of adults reporting high or extreme levels of pressure and stress in the last year, unchanged from the previous two years.
Among workers, 20 percent said they had taken time off sick due to poor mental health caused by stress. But the figure rose sharply among those aged 18 to 24, with 39 percent reporting stress-related absence.
Mental Health UK said the findings were published as the UK continues to grapple with economic inactivity, with poor mental health among young people frequently cited as a key driver. It referenced the Keep Britain Working review, which called for workforce health to be treated as a shared responsibility between employers, staff and the National Health Service, with a stronger focus on prevention.
Younger workers report higher stress
The report suggests younger workers are facing a particularly intense mix of pressures both inside and outside the workplace. Mental Health UK said issues such as money worries, isolation and fears around redundancy and job security were contributing to stress, alongside heavy workloads and unpaid overtime.
Discomfort about speaking openly at work also appears to be worsening. More than one in three workers, 35 percent, said they did not feel comfortable discussing high or extreme levels of stress with a manager, up three percentage points compared with the 2025 report. Among 18 to 24 year olds, 39 percent said they would not feel comfortable raising stress with a manager, up five percentage points on the previous year.
The charity also warned that lack of support after time off could be increasing the risk of relapse and repeated absence. More than one in four workers who took time off due to extreme levels of pressure or stress said they did not receive any support after returning to work, while only 17 percent said a formal return-to-work plan had been put in place.
Many workers questioned whether employers were backing mental health commitments with resources. Almost one in five, 18 percent, said mental health was treated as a tick-box exercise at work. Only 27 percent said mental health was genuinely prioritised and supported through action and resources.
The report also pointed to what it described as a gap between awareness-raising and meaningful support. Nearly one in three workers, 29 percent, said their employer raised awareness about mental health but managers did not have the time, training or resources to provide meaningful support.
Workload, overtime and insecurity drive pressure
The most common drivers of stress in the workplace were high or increased workload, reported by 42 percent of workers, followed by regularly working unpaid overtime beyond contracted hours, 33 percent, and fears around redundancy and job security, 32 percent.
Outside of work, the leading factors were poor sleep, reported by 59 percent of UK adults, money worries, 48 percent, and poor physical health, 38 percent.
Among workers aged 18 to 24, the pressure points were more pronounced. More than half, 57 percent, said they experienced stress due to a high or increased workload. Almost half, 47 percent, said regularly working unpaid overtime contributed to stress, while 45 percent pointed to feeling isolated at work and 43 percent cited fear of redundancy or job insecurity.
Money worries were also prominent for younger age groups, with 64 percent of 18 to 24 year olds reporting stress linked to finances. Adults aged 25 to 34 were the most likely group to report money worries as a driver of stress, at 65 percent.
Employers urged to act earlier
Brian Dow, chief executive of Mental Health UK, said the organisation believed burnout had become a major shared challenge affecting both workers and employers. “Burnout is fast becoming one of the UK’s most serious shared challenges. We all want a thriving economy that benefits employers and workers alike, but unless we tackle chronic workplace stress and help people perform at their best, we are effectively trying to accelerate with the handbrake on.”
He said the data raised concerns about stress-related absence among younger workers and the combination of pressures they face.
“This year’s report highlights continuing concerns about high levels of absence among younger workers. This group is facing pressures both inside and outside work, alongside an uncertain job market where AI is increasingly seen as a threat to some entry-level roles. For many, the social contract that rewarded previous generations for hard work is breaking down.”
Dow also said that while younger people are often seen as more open about mental health, many still stay silent about their own stress. “While young people are often seen as championing better attitudes towards mental health at work, our survey shows many are staying silent about their own stress levels. Our workplace training team reports that young people do value regular check-ins on workload and wellbeing, when managers create the right environment for discussion.”
He said employers needed to move faster in equipping managers to act early.
“As the Keep Britain Working review makes clear, employers have a vital role in helping people stay in work, but we know that managers often feel unsure about starting conversations on stress and mental health. If we want to see a thriving workforce, organisations must move faster in supporting managers to act early, before stress and poor mental health turns into burnout and people are pushed out of work.”
An account of burnout and recovery
The report includes testimony from Aiden, 28, who described the impact of burnout after starting a role at what he called a prestigious firm. He said he initially assumed long hours were normal before reaching a point where he could no longer function.
“Securing a job at a prestigious firm after university felt like a huge opportunity, and I assumed that spending increasingly long hours attempting to beat my growing workload was just part a normal part of working life. That was until one morning I opened my laptop and sat there completely frozen, unable to function.”
He said he later realised he had been experiencing burnout for some time and described the consequences. “Looking back, I now realise that I had been experiencing burnout for some time. Left unresolved, it led to depression, a lengthy period out of work and time in psychiatric hospitals hundreds of miles from home.”
Aiden said he eventually got back into work after receiving treatment and being given extra flexibility by his employer. “I was able to return to work due to therapy, building coping strategies, and a supportive employer that allowed a phased return and flexible hours.
“Burnout is a serious condition, and no one should face it alone. I urge anyone struggling to ask for help, whether that’s through your GP or your workplace.”
Mental Health UK said the findings should prompt organisations to focus more on prevention and recovery, including giving managers the time and capability to spot concerns early, reduce avoidable workload pressures and support staff returning from stress-related absence.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
