Sickness absence rates rose to their highest level in more than ten years in 2021, with COVID-19 responsible for almost a quarter of days off work, the latest official figures show. Nearly 150 million days were lost to sickness or injury overall in 2021 – an average of 4.6 days per person.

The sickness absence rate in the UK in 2021 rose to 2.2% from a record low of 1.8% in 2020; this is the highest it has been since 2010, when it was also 2.2%.

The most common reason for sickness absence in 2021 was ‘other’ conditions, which most notably include COVID-19, as well as accidents, poisonings and diabetes. COVID-19 accounted for nearly one in four of all occurrences of sickness absence in 2021.

Sickness-related absence can be caused by a mixture of things. General health is obviously a factor, as are working conditions, including health and safety standards, levels of stress, and harassment and bullying. Family or emotional problems, or mental health issues other than stress, also all play a part.

Groups with the highest rates of sickness absence in 2021 included women, older workers, those with long-term health conditions, people working part-time and people working in caring, leisure and other service occupations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the sickness absence data in many ways. While the virus may have led to additional sickness absence, measures such as furloughing, social distancing, shielding and increased homeworking helped to reduce other causes of absence in 2020. However, the reduction of the furlough scheme and its eventual end in September 2021, coupled with the decline in homeworking, shielding, social distancing policies and new COVID-19 variants, led to a rise in sickness absence in 2021 to above pre-pandemic levels.

The sickness absence rate (or the percentage of working hours lost because of sickness or injury) generally declined through the 2000s and has remained relatively flat throughout the 2010s, dropping to a record low in 2020. In 2021, the rate increased to 2.2%, the highest it has been since 2010. The increase in 2021 was driven by increases seen between October and December 2021.

The main reasons for sickness absence over the time series have been minor illnesses and musculoskeletal problems, but this has changed in the recent period due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, ‘Other’ conditions (which includes COVID-19) were the most common reasons for sickness absence, accounting for 26.9% of occurrences of sickness absence. This was followed by minor illnesses at 21.9%, musculoskeletal problems at 13.4%, and mental health conditions at 9.8%.

Sickness absence rates have been consistently lower for men than for women since 1995, with the rates for both sexes generally falling between 1995 and 2020. Men lost 1.8% of their working hours in 2021 (an increase of 0.3 percentage points from 2020) as a result of sickness or injury and women lost 2.6% of their working hours (an increase of 0.3 percentage points from 2020).

Sickness absence rates are higher among older workers as they are more likely to develop health problems. The rate increased for all age groups from 2020 to 2021. In 2021, the sickness absence rate for those aged 65 years and over was the highest on record (at 3.2%).