The most common reasons for sick leave in the UK

Last year, there were an estimate 141 million work days lost through sickness absence in the UK - the largest amount since 2009. In its latest release, the Office for National Statistics also provided a breakdown of the most commonly cited reasons for these absences. As this infographic shows, minor illnesses, such as the common cold, caused the most sick days at 27 percent. Musculoskeletal problems were the second-most often cited, at 20 percent. With 12 percent, mental health conditions were the third-most common.