Work-Related Mental Ill Health Reaches Record Highs Across UK and Ireland
Recent statistics from both the UK and Ireland paint a concerning picture of the state of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Employers are facing increasing pressure to address work-related stress, depression, and anxiety, with regulatory bodies emphasising the legal and ethical imperative to safeguard employees' psychological health. The economic impact of this crisis is substantial, with millions of working days lost annually.
The UK Landscape: Alarming Statistics and Economic Impact
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK has reported a significant uptick in work-related mental health issues. In 2024/25, an estimated 1.9 million workers suffered from work-related ill health. Mental health conditions remain the primary driver, with 964,000 workers reporting stress, depression, or anxiety caused or made worse by work in 2024/25. This figure represents a 24% increase from the previous year and is more than double the rate recorded when the HSE began collecting this data in 2001/02.
Mental ill health now accounts for 52% of all work-related ill health, making it the single largest cause of work-related absence. A staggering 22.1 million working days were lost in 2024/25 due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. The total cost of work-related mental health issues to the UK economy is estimated at £51 billion annually. Notably, female workers are disproportionately affected, being 25% more likely to report that their job impacts their mental health. In 2024/25, there were 3,220 cases of mental ill health per 100,000 female workers, compared to 2,580 per 100,000 for male workers.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) 'Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025' report further highlights these concerns, revealing that mental ill health is the second leading cause of short-term absence (29%) and the top cause of long-term absence (41%). The report also found that poor relationships with colleagues (75%), high workload (69%), and ineffective line management (63%) are key drivers of negative impacts on mental health.
The Irish Context: A Troubling Trend
Research indicates a worrying trend in Ireland. An ESRI study funded by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) found that job stress among employees more than doubled from 8% in 2010 to 17% in 2015. More recently, the HSA reported that over 60% of Irish workers experience higher stress levels compared to pre-pandemic times, largely due to hybrid working challenges, economic uncertainty, isolation, and heavier workloads. The Mind Health Report 2025 revealed that Ireland has the lowest average Mind Health score among nine EU countries surveyed, with 48% of the population reporting they are struggling or languishing.
Irish employers have a legal duty of care under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to protect employees from both physical and psychological hazards. The HSA emphasizes that mental health is a workplace safety matter and requires employers to manage work-related mental health risks through the same health and safety processes used for physical risks. Psychosocial hazards, such as bullying, conflicting demands, low control, and lack of support, are increasingly recognised as occupational hazards. Despite this, a significant gap exists between intent and action, with three-quarters of Irish employers recognising their responsibility but only one-third implementing organisational responses, and just one-fifth allocating dedicated budgets for mental health initiatives.
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Regulatory Guidance and Employer Responsibilities
Both the HSE and HSA have strengthened their guidance to employers. In January 2024, the HSE amended its 'First aid at work: Guidance on regulations' (L74) to explicitly emphasise employers' responsibilities for taking account of employees' mental health in their first-aid needs assessment. While appointing mental health first aiders is not a legal requirement, the HSE advises that employers should assess workplace mental health risks, ensure first aid provisions cover mental health support, and train designated mental health first aiders.
The HSE's 'Working Minds' campaign and Management Standards are explicit that employers should prevent stress at source by addressing six core areas: demands, control, support, relationships, role clarity, and change. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has also published new guidance to support UK employers and employees in handling reasonable adjustments for mental health at work. Acas stresses that employers should treat mental health problems with the same seriousness as physical illnesses and consider reasonable adjustments such as changes to working hours, responsibilities, or the working environment.
In Ireland, the HSA encourages employers to integrate mental health considerations into workplace risk assessments. While Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is not yet mandatory, it is increasingly adopted as a best-practice measure. MHFA Ireland offers training to equip supervisors, line managers, and co-workers with the knowledge and skills to address mental health problems in the workplace.
These developments underscore a critical need for proactive strategies to support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Employers are encouraged to review their current practices, implement comprehensive mental health plans, and invest in training to foster a supportive and resilient working culture. Abertay Training at https://www.abertaytraining.co.uk offers various courses designed to help organisations meet their health and safety obligations, including those related to mental health and wellbeing.