New research has revealed the sectors that are worst-affected by workplace illness, following a warning from health officials that the UK is facing a ‘health and productivity crisis’.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data reports 1.7 million cases of work-related illnesses annually – costing UK businesses a staggering £14.5 billion each year.
The business finance experts at money.co.uk business savings have analysed the latest HSE data on workplace illness to identify the industries where businesses face the most significant challenges.
The cost of workplace illness to UK businesses:
Ill health in the workplace costs businesses around £14.5 billion each year (around £21,500 per case on average). This is nearly double the £7.1 billion cost of injuries (£11,700 per case on average).
The HSE states that illness cases often result in more time off work, which drives these higher costs.2
Industries with the highest rates of workplace illness:
| Rank | Industry | Illness ascribed to current or most recent job* | |
| Estimated incidence | Per 100,000 employed | ||
| 1 | Human health and social work activities | 129,000 | 2,780 |
| 2 | Public administration and defence, compulsory social security | 66,000 | 2,520 |
| 3 | Education | 70,000 | 1,980 |
| 4 | Transportation and storage | 30,000 | 1,770 |
| 5 | Information and communication | 30,000 | 1,700 |
| 6 | Financial and insurance activities | 24,000 | 1,650 |
| 7 | Professional, scientific and technical activities | 49,000 | 1,620 |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 40,000 | 1,450 |
| 9 | Administrative and support service activities | 21,000 | 1,430 |
| 10 | Construction | 28,000 | 1,360 |
| 11 | Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 48,000 | 1,310 |
| 12 | Accommodation and food service activities | 20,000 | 1,140 |
*Three-year average of new cases (2021/22-2023/24) – industries with sample sizes marked as too small have been removed.
1. Human health and social work activities
Topping the list is the human health and social work sector, with around 129,000 cases of work-related illness reported for workers’ current or most recent jobs, a rate of 2,780 per 100,000 workers (or about one in 35).
Roles in this sector are often physically and emotionally demanding, from providing care to managing complex human needs. These figures highlight the importance of continued focus on wellbeing support, adequate staffing, and mental health resources for those on the front line of care and support.
2. Public administration and defence, compulsory social security
This sector, which includes government roles, emergency services, and defence, comes next with an estimated 66,000 cases and a rate of 2,520 per 100,000 workers (around one in 40).
Given the responsibilities often involved in these public-facing and safety-critical roles, the data points to the value of long-term strategies that help teams manage pressure and maintain wellbeing.
3. Education
In third place is the education sector, with an estimated 70,000 cases of work-related illness – a rate of 1,980 per 100,000 workers (around one in 50).
Teaching and support roles are vital and rewarding, but they can also involve long hours, emotional investment, and high workloads. These findings reinforce the need to ensure education staff feel supported, resourced, and equipped to thrive.
Joe Phelan, money.co.uk business savings expert, offers tips on building a safety net to help mitigate the impact of workplace illnesses:
“With the daily pressures of running a business, it’s easy to push savings down the priority list. However, this data is a stark reminder that a healthy contingency fund isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s crucial to protecting your people and your operations.
By building a safety net, you’ll be better placed to support colleagues, while keeping the business running smoothly. Building up a contingency fund doesn’t have to be complicated. Even small, regular contributions to a savings account can help businesses stay resilient through staff absences, workplace incidents, or crime-related disruptions.
These accounts allow you to earn interest on your savings and, crucially, the money is on hand the moment you need it. This can help you protect your employees and your business if your team members get injured or fall ill, or if you’re a victim of a crime.”
