How Many Sick Days Per Year Do UK Employees Take?

How many sick days per year do employees take, what impact does it have on your business and what is the best way to prevent employee absenteeism?

 

These are some of the questions we’ll answer in this guide. As an experienced commercial cleaning company, we know that sanitising workplaces has the potential to drastically reduce the number of sick days employees need.

 

Key takeaways: How many sick days per year do UK employees take?

 

• The sickness absence rate for 2024 in the UK was 2% which is 4.4 days lost per worker and 148.9 million lost days.

• The UK government does not set a legal upper limit for the number of sick days an employee can take. But employers can set their own policies regarding sick leave and absence management.

• Employees must provide medical evidence/proof of illness if they take sick leave lasting more than 7 consecutive days – a fit note is required.

• A key benefit of regular workplace cleaning is the prevention of illnesses. Cleaning targets the hard-to-reach areas, eliminating hidden dirt and bacteria that can contribute to staff sickness.

 

Average sick days per year (UK)

 

Back in June 2025, the Office for National Statistics released a comprehensive dataset covering sickness absense in the UK labour market for 2024, building on its insights for the previous years.

 

It revealed that the sickness absence rate for 2024 in the UK was 2% which equals 4.4 days lost per worker, nearly a full working week. That is 148.9 million lost days through sickness absence in the UK for the year 2024.

 

Is the number of sick days per year increasing or decreasing? Year-on-year, it has decreased since 2022 when the absence rate was 2.6%, 5.7 days lost per worker, 188.3 million lost days in total.

 

But the number of sick days lost is still higher than the years 2009-2019 before the COVID-19 crisis, where the dataset is heavily caveated. This is due to government policies around furloughing, homeworking, shielding and social distancing.

 

The price of these lost days is high. Staff sickness costs have risen £30 billion since 2018, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research, costing UK businesses £103bn a year, reports The Guardian.

 

Many businesses use the Bradford Factor to monitor employee attention and assess the impact of absenteeism, the formula S² × D where:

 

• S is the total number of spells of absence of one person over a set period
• D is the total number of days of absence of that person over the same set period

 

The set period is typically a rolling 52-week period.

 

How many sick days per year is an employee allowed (UK)

 

In the UK, there isn’t a legal limit on how many sick days an employee can take per year. 

 

There is no statutory sick leave entitlement in the UK; the allowable number of sick days is at employers’ discretion.

 

If an employee is off sick for more than 7 consecutive days, they need to provide a fit note from their doctor. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.

 

Sick leave is typically categorised as short-term if it lasts under a week. An absence lasting longer than four weeks is officially classified as long-term sick leave.

 

Employees on sick leave still accumulate statutory holiday entitlement during their absence. If an employee is ill just before or during their holiday, they can take that time as sick leave instead.

 

Employers should create a clear attendance policy to set expectations for employees.

 

While employers can dismiss an employee on the grounds of excessive sick leave, it should be a last resort after exploring other options and following a fair disciplinary procedure, as Acas clarifies.

 

What is statutory sick pay (SSP)?

 

Employees are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for up to 28 weeks:

 

• SSP is available from the fourth consecutive day of illness (for the first three days of sickness, employees do not receive any SSP)
• The rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is £118.75 per week as of April 2025
• Employees must earn at least £123 per week to qualify for SSP
• Employees must notify their employer of their illness within seven days to qualify for SSP.

 

Occupational sick pay (OSP) is an optional company-funded benefit that provides employees with financial support during periods of illness, beyond the basic Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It is not a legal requirement, but rather a contractual benefit outlined in the employee’s contract.

 

How to reduce the number of sick days employees need

 

Identifying the root causes of absenteeism is essential for addressing the issue effectively:

 

• Training managers can help reduce absenteeism by improving employee-manager relationships
• Return to work interviews assist in easing employees back into their roles
• Targeted employee assistance may be necessary to address unique circumstances behind absenteeism
• Encouraging the use of support services can help employees manage their mental health and reduce absenteeism
• Using absence data helps identify trends and address underlying workplace issues contributing to absenteeism

 

Promoting a healthy workplace culture can also lead to improved attendance rates. Offices are breeding grounds for germs – staff touch their desks, keyboards, and phones regularly, risking the spread of bacteria and viruses.

 

Consistent cleaning with disinfectants disrupts the build up germs, stopping the spread, meaning fewer team members getting sick. Learn more about how to boost employee productivity with a clean office.

 

Consider how clean air and surfaces can reduce the spread of illness in the workplace, resulting in fewer sick days. This is one of the benefits of a clean office space.

 

FAQs: How many sick days per year (UK)

 

How many sick days do you get per year in the UK?

 

There is no legal limit on the number of sick days an employee can take in the UK.

 

What is the average number of sick days per year in the UK?

 

The average UK worker took 5.7 sick days per year in 2022 and this has decreased slightly to 4.4 sick days in 2024.

 

Duvet day meaning: What are duvet days?

 

A duvet day is a day off work, typically unscheduled and without requiring prior notice, that an employee can take when they are not feeling well enough to work, but not necessarily sick.

 

Some employers encourage them to promote employee well-being and reduce stress. They allow staff to take a day to rest and recharge without providing a reason or sick note.

 

Final thoughts: Managing employee absenteeism

 

Employee wellbeing is a key part of the workplace experience. Businesses that prioritise the mental, physical and emotional health of their employees tend to have happier, more productive teams.

 

Consistent cleaning is one of the best ways to support health and wellbeing at work. It leads to better air quality, the reduced spread of illness and better safety.

 

Beyond physical health, regular cleaning also improves staff morale and psychology, with positive knock-on effects for employee engagement and productivity.

 

If you found this guide helpful, please take a look at some of our other blogs! Some of our most popular ones include:

 

• Office Etiquette
• Indoor Team Building Activities
• Best Office Pets To Boost Workplace Productivity

 

We deliver the #1 commercial cleaning service London businesses trust because we do what we say we are going to do. That includes daily office cleaning London companies throughout the capital rely on.

 

If you would like to find out more about our commercial cleaning services, please contact us.

share this article

Related articles