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  "path": "/news/sick-note-britain-absence-crisis",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-12T12:32:50.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Scientists sequence deadly cruise ship virus as outbreak mystery deepens",
    "Britons trapped on virus-hit cruise ship could be flown home from Tenerife this weekend",
    "Scientists race to discover if killer hantavirus has MUTATED after deadly cruise outbreak",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nBritain lost almost 149 MILLION working days to sickness last year as more than 10 million people were signed off work as “not fit for work”, new figures reveal.\n\nData published today by the Office for National Statistics found 148.8 million working days were lost because of sickness or injury in 2025 - almost 10 million higher than before the pandemic.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nWorkers lost an average of 4.4 days each during the year, unchanged from 2024 but still above 2019 levels.\n\nWomen, older workers, people with long-term health conditions and part-time employees recorded some of the highest sickness absence rates.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe figures also revealed a sharp divide between public and private sector workers.\n\nPublic sector staff recorded a sickness absence rate of 2.9 per cent in 2025 compared with 1.7 per cent in the private sector.\n\nYorkshire and The Humber had the highest regional sickness absence rate at 2.4 per cent, while London recorded the lowest at 1.5 per cent.\n\nMinor illnesses remained the biggest cause of absence, accounting for 30.4 per cent of cases.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMusculoskeletal problems made up 14.6 per cent, while mental health conditions accounted for 8.9 per cent.\n\nSeparate NHS England data also showed 11.17 million fit notes - known as sick notes - were issued in 2025. Of those, more than 10.3 million were classed as “not fit for work”.\n\nWomen accounted for almost six in ten fit notes issued.\n\nNearly one million sick notes advised phased returns, amended duties or altered hours instead of full absence from work.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Scientists sequence deadly cruise ship virus as outbreak mystery deepens\n  * Britons trapped on virus-hit cruise ship could be flown home from Tenerife this weekend\n  * Scientists race to discover if killer hantavirus has MUTATED after deadly cruise outbreak\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMental and behavioural disorders were the most common diagnosed reason for fit notes, accounting for 36 per cent of diagnosed cases, followed by musculoskeletal conditions at 18 per cent. More than 8 million fit notes issued last year carried no diagnosis.\n\nThe figures come amid continued pressure on NHS services. ONS data showed almost a quarter of people trying to contact their GP in March 2026 were unable to get through on the same day. Nearly one in five NHS patients waiting for hospital treatment had been waiting more than 12 months.\n\nBrett Hill, Head of Health and Protection at the consultancy firm Broadstone, said: “Delays in GP appointments and long treatment waiting lists mean conditions are often allowed to deteriorate before people receive much-needed care.”\n\nJamie Burdess, Principal Consultant at Broadstone, added: “When more than 10 million people are being signed off as unfit for work, it raises questions about whether the sick note system is working as intended.”\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nLast week the government announced a new sick note rule to be rolled out across England in November - which means GPs can send patients to the gym, a career coach or a class instead of automatically issuing sick notes.The nationwide scheme aims to give those signed off work access support and services.\n\nThe initiative aims to reduce long-term sickness absence by focusing on support and rehabilitation, aiming to return patients to work.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Sick note Britain: More than 10 million signed off work as absence crisis grips UK"
}