More than eight million working days will have been lost to mental ill-health in the UK by today as anxiety, depression and burnout continue to drive staff absence across the workforce.
Younger employees are among the hardest hit, with many more likely than older colleagues to take time off for mental health reasons, according to new figures released during Mental Health Awareness Week.
The milestone comes as employers face growing pressure to move beyond awareness campaigns and introduce practical mental health support before staff reach crisis point.
An analysis by healthcare plans provider Simplyhealth found that by Thursday 14 May, an estimated 8,036,364 working days will have been lost to mental ill-health in 2026.
Younger staff taking more absence
The research found that nearly a third of employees had experienced depression or anxiety during the previous 12 months, while a quarter reported stress or burnout. Among workers aged 18 to 34, around one in five said they had taken time off during the past year because of anxiety, depression, stress or burnout.
Older employees were less likely to take mental health-related absence, but when they did, periods away from work tended to last longer. Workers aged over 55 took an average of 9.7 days off for anxiety and depression and 10.3 days for stress and burnout.
Mental ill-health is now the leading cause of long-term absence in UK workplaces and the second leading cause of short-term absence.
Dr Macarena Studenmaier Keglevich, head of clinical product and operations at Simplyhealth, warned employers against waiting until workers reached breaking point before offering support.
“Eight million sick days by mid-May isn’t a wellness statistic; it’s a public health signal,” she said. “As a clinician, what strikes me is that mental health isn’t something that happens to people in isolated moments; it’s built or eroded through the everyday.”
She said workplace culture played a major role in shaping employee mental health long before problems escalated into serious absence. “Sleep, connection, time outdoors, being able to say ‘I’m not okay’ without fear of professional consequences, these aren’t nice-to-haves,” she said.
Dr Keglevich added that “[c]onsistent habits protect mental health far more effectively than crisis-point intervention. What our data shows this year is stark: nearly a third of employees experienced depression or anxiety in the past 12 months, and younger workers are bearing a disproportionate share of that burden.
“Building a culture where people feel safe to talk about their mental health before they hit crisis point isn’t a benefit perk. It has to be a condition of a functioning workplace.
“And when employers do invest in mental health support, access to it must be barrier-free and simple. That means being clear and specific about what’s available, not burying it in an online benefits portal, and making sure no-one has to navigate a complicated referral process when they are already struggling.”
Pressure on employers to take action
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, organised by the Mental Health Foundation, is focused on encouraging employers and communities to take practical action to support mental wellbeing.
Alexa Knight, director of policy at the Mental Health Foundation, said workplaces could play an important role in supporting wellbeing, but poor working cultures were also contributing to rising levels of stress and burnout.
“A mentally healthy workplace can be a positive and meaningful part of our lives. It provides structure and routine, fosters connection with others, supports our independence, our ability to care for loved ones and to make a contribution through our working lives,” she said.
“However, our work can also be a cause of distress: managing a demanding workload and unrealistic expectations, a lack of support from our manager, working excessive hours to meet these needs at the detriment of rest and obtaining a work-life balance. All of these factors breed a toxic workplace culture that can contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety and burnout, ultimately resulting in poor mental health and an inability to work.”
She said Mental Health Awareness Week this year was “focused on action” and that she wanted to “see employers take tangible steps to support their staff: equipping managers with the skills they need to support their teams and creating environments where employees feel empowered and safe to speak openly about what they need to work well and stay well”.
Earlier this year, Simplyhealth announced a £3 million partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health First Aid England and Mental Health Innovations, the charity behind the Shout crisis text service.
The research was conducted by polling firm Opinium between 2 and 9 March 2026 among 2,000 UK working adults.
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
