HSE Statistics Show Rising Cost Of Workplace Stress, Depression And Anxiety.

• Published date: 25 November 2022
• Subject Matter: Employment and HR, Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration, Health & Safety, Trials & Appeals & Compensation, Personal Injury
• Law Firm: Weightmans
• Author: Mr Jim Byard and Anna Naylor

The number of new and longstanding cases of workplace stress, depression and anxiety has risen over 14 % accelerated by the pandemic.

On 23 November 2022, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released its annual summary statistics of workplace injuries and ill health covering the period April 2021 to March 2022.

The statistics reveal rising rates of workplace stress, anxiety and depression with a recognition by the HSE that the pandemic has been a contributory factor. In the press release which accompanies the report, the HSE Chief Executive, Sarah Albon, comments:

'Stress and poor mental health is the number one cause of work-related ill health...we need all employers to do more and take seriously their responsibilities to support good mental health at work.'

Summary of headlines

• 914,000 existing and new cases of workplace stress, depression and anxiety which has led to 17 million working days lost.
• 565, 000 workers suffered an injury in the workplace - a rise in comparison with the two previous years but similar to pre-pandemic levels.
• 477,000 cases of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD).
• 123,000 cases of COVID-19 (thought) to have been contracted in the workplace.
• 12,000 lung disease deaths linked to past occupational exposures which include over 2,500 mesothelioma deaths.
• A total of 36.8 million working days lost due to workplace ill health and injury with an estimated total cost to the economy of '18.8 billion.
• 123 workplace fatalities - though deaths linked to both COVID-19 and occupational lung disease are excluded.

Context and caveats

The statistics rely for the most part upon Labour Force Self-Report Studies which the HSE recognise may under or overestimate the true position.

The statistics this year do include the total of lost working days but once again, do not include any data in relation to workplace violence. In a previous article we address the large-scale survey conducted earlier this year by the British Retail Consortium.

Workplace mental health in more detail...

The number of new and longstanding cases of workplace stress, depression and anxiety has risen from just over 800,000 cases in 2020/2021 to 914,000 cases - a rise of over 14 %. The HSE recognise that the underlying rising trend has been accelerated and made worse by the pandemic.

The total includes 372,000 new cases with over 17 million working days lost and attributable to workplace stress, depression and anxiety - again higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Those sectors with the...