Surge in number of sick notes issued for mental health reasons needs to be addressed by employers with better support in place for staff
An investigation by the BBC has found hundreds of GPs say they have never refused a sick note to a patient who has requested one for mental health reasons. This comes as the number of sick notes issued for this reason has risen by almost 850,000 in the last six years, a situation exacerbated by the fallout from the pandemic years.
Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at HA Wisdom Wellbeing, said: ‘This report confirms what many businesses already know: the UK’s fit note system is under huge strain, and GPs are carrying the weight.
‘Many GPs have never refused a fit note for mental health reasons, not because the need isn’t real, but because the system forces them into a role they were never designed to play.
‘Employers should look to remove the barriers to employees getting the help they need faster, rather than relying on GP-issued fit notes. Give managers the clarity and confidence they need to manage conversations around mental health in the workplace. Identify and reassess the barriers to mental health support by involving occupational health at an early stage. That way you can help support the employee to remain in work while also accessing the support they need.’
The increasing levels of sickness absence is putting pressure on employers already under pressure with high employment costs and a very difficult geopolitical environment.
The imminent introduction of the Employment Rights Act 2025 will also add new responsibilities for employers as additional day one rights are rolled out for employees from 1 April this year.
Gemma O’Connor, head of HR Advisory at BrightHR, added: ‘Employers have always had to deal with sickness absence, but the impact that the increased volume of people being signed off for mental health conditions has on the workplace is significant, not just financially but also in terms of employee morale and productivity. There is no blanket solution, as conditions are so specific to the individual.
‘The changes to statutory sick pay (SSP) which are coming in April are likely to mean an increase in the number of short-term absences as employees will get a level of pay from the first day of absence. This means there will no longer be as much of a financial barrier when it comes to taking time off sick.
‘Our calculations estimate that an additional 200,000 workers will be off on the sickest day next year. That’s a minimum cost of £5.13m to UK employers, for just one day.
‘BrightHR statistics confirm the BBC findings that younger workers are more likely to request a sick note. Our data found that an average of four out of five Gen Z employees took time off work due to sickness at some point in 2025.
‘It’s vital that employers have systems in place to both manage sickness absence and support employee mental health.’
Three top tips on how to manage absence
- Monitor absence patterns and reasons closely to identify any areas of concern.
- Implement robust absence management policies, including return-to-work interviews and trigger points so you can find out more about the reasons for absence and look at ways to offer support.
- Offer employee wellbeing initiatives, such as an EAP (employee assistance programme), counselling services, mental health first aiders or flexible working arrangements, to help reduce absenteeism and support employees back into work.
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