UK sickness absence rates: the ONS figures
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) puts the UK sickness absence rate at 2.0% of working hours in 2025. This guide gives the ONS rates by public and private sector, industry and size of workforce, explains what they measure, and shows how to compare your own rate.
The ONS figures cover the whole of the UK. The HSE figures in the section on work-related ill health cover Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.
The headline rate
The UK sickness absence rate was 2.0% in 2025, the same as in the year before. ONS defines the rate as the percentage of working hours lost because of sickness or injury (ONS, Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2025; dataset, Table 1).
Public and private sector
| Sector | Sickness absence rate, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 1.7% |
| Public sector | 2.9% |
The rate has been higher in the public sector than in the private sector in every year ONS has on record. ONS gives three things to consider when comparing them: the two sectors have different types of jobs, private sector workers are less likely to be paid for sickness absence, and the survey counts someone as sick only if they work fewer hours than they are contracted for, so hours made up later in the week are not counted (ONS).
By industry
In 2025 the highest rate was 3.3%, in transport and storage. The lowest was 1.0%, in financial and insurance, and in professional, scientific and technical. The table lists every industry group in the ONS release.
| Industry | Sickness absence rate, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1.2% |
| Mining, energy and water supply | 2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 2.2% |
| Construction | 1.4% |
| Wholesale, retail and repair of motor vehicles | 2.0% |
| Transport and storage | 3.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1.4% |
| Information and communication | 1.1% |
| Financial and insurance | 1.0% |
| Real estate | 1.8% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 1.0% |
| Administrative and support services | 2.0% |
| Public administration and defence | 2.4% |
| Education | 2.1% |
| Human health and social work | 3.0% |
| Other services | 1.5% |
By size of workforce
| Size of workforce | Sickness absence rate, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Under 25 employees | 1.7% |
| 25 to 49 employees | 1.5% |
| 50 to 499 employees | 2.2% |
| 500 or more employees | 2.3% |
Industry, public or private sector and size of workforce are what each person says about their own job in the survey (ONS dataset, notes).
What the figure measures
- Hours, not days. The rate is hours lost because of sickness or injury as a share of hours worked. A company rate is usually sick days as a share of working days, which is close but not the same.
- A survey, not employer records. The figures come from the Labour Force Survey and relate to people in work aged 16 and over across the UK. Each year's figure is an average of the four quarters (ONS).
- Sickness and injury only. The rate counts only hours lost because of sickness or injury, so holiday and other leave are not in it.
- Official statistics in development. ONS advises caution when using the data, and extra caution when reading changes over time, because Labour Force Survey estimates for mid-2023 and 2024 are more volatile (ONS).
Work-related ill health
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes separate yearly figures on work-related ill health and injury in Great Britain, including the working days lost to them (HSE, key figures for Great Britain). Its estimates of work-related ill health are self-reports from the Labour Force Survey (HSE, work-related ill health). They count only ill health linked to work and are not a sickness absence rate, so they cannot be compared with one.
Comparing your own rate
To compare your rate with the ONS figures, work it out on the same basis:
- Count sickness absence only. Leave out holiday, family leave and unauthorised absence.
- Divide by scheduled working time, using full-time equivalents if many of your staff work part-time.
- Compare with your industry and your size of workforce, as well as the UK rate.
- Look at your own rate over time, by department. A company average can hide one team with a much higher rate.
The absence rate calculator works out your rate, and the cost of absence calculator turns days lost into a cost in pounds. If your rate is high, the UK employment law guide covers how to manage sickness absence fairly.
Sources
- ONS, Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2025, article, released 1 May 2026.
- ONS, Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2025, Table 1, dataset. sicknessabsence2025.xlsx, Table 1: sickness absence rate, 2025.
- ONS, Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2025, Table 11, dataset. sicknessabsence2025.xlsx, Table 11: sickness absence rate in the public and private sector, 2025.
- ONS, Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2025, Table 15, dataset. sicknessabsence2025.xlsx, Table 15: sickness absence rate by size of workforce, 2025.
- ONS, Sickness absence in the UK labour market: 2025, Table 21, dataset. sicknessabsence2025.xlsx, Table 21: sickness absence rate by industry sector, 2025.
- HSE, Key figures for Great Britain and Work-related ill health and occupational disease in Great Britain.
Sources checked on 11 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the sickness absence rate in the UK?
The ONS puts it at 2.0% in 2025: the share of working hours lost because of sickness or injury, for people in work across the UK. The figure comes from the Labour Force Survey, and ONS labels it official statistics in development.
Which industries have the highest sickness absence rates?
In the ONS figures for 2025, the highest rate was 3.3%, in transport and storage. The lowest was 1.0%, in financial and insurance, and in professional, scientific and technical.
Is sickness absence higher in the public sector?
Yes. The ONS rate for 2025 was 2.9% for public sector employees and 1.7% in the private sector. ONS notes that the two sectors have different types of jobs, and that private sector workers are less likely to be paid for sickness absence.
How do I compare my company's absence rate with the ONS figure?
Work out your rate the same way: sickness absence only, as a share of scheduled working time, with holiday left out. ONS counts hours and you probably count days, so treat the comparison as a guide. Compare with your industry and size of workforce as well as the UK rate.
Work Out Your Absence Rate From Your Own Leave Data
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