In 2022 the sickness absence rate for those in the work force aged 65 and over in the UK was 3.7 percent, indicating that 3.7 percent of their workings hours were lost during that year due to sickness. The sickness absence rate gets progressively higher with older age groups, with the youngest age group having an absence rate of just 1.9 percent.
Percentage of working hours that were lost due to sickness absence in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by age group
Characteristic
16-24
25-34
35-49
50-64
65 and over
2022
1.9%
2%
2.3%
3.5%
3.7%
2021
1.8%
1.6%
2%
2.9%
3.2%
2020
1.4%
1.4%
1.6%
2.6%
2.8%
2019
1.2%
1.4%
1.8%
2.6%
2.8%
2018
1.2%
1.6%
1.9%
2.6%
1.9%
2017
1.2%
1.4%
1.6%
2.7%
2.5%
2016
1.5%
1.5%
1.8%
2.7%
2.9%
2015
1.4%
1.5%
1.8%
3%
2.6%
2014
1.2%
1.3%
1.9%
2.9%
2.4%
2013
1.2%
1.5%
2%
2.8%
2.3%
2012
1.4%
1.6%
2%
3%
2.7%
2011
1.6%
1.7%
1.9%
2.9%
1.8%
2010
1.7%
1.7%
2%
3.1%
2.4%
2009
1.9%
1.8%
2.3%
3%
2.3%
2008
1.7%
1.8%
2.3%
3.4%
2.9%
2007
2%
2.1%
2.5%
3.3%
2.7%
2006
2.1%
1.9%
2.4%
3.3%
3.1%
2005
2%
2.1%
2.5%
3.4%
2.3%
2004
2.2%
2.1%
2.6%
3.6%
2.2%
2003
2.3%
2.4%
2.8%
3.8%
2.2%
2002
2.2%
2.5%
2.7%
3.7%
1.9%
2001
2.3%
2.4%
2.8%
3.8%
2.2%
2000
2.3%
2.5%
2.8%
3.7%
2.6%
1999
2.8%
2.6%
2.9%
3.7%
2.8%
1998
2.4%
2.5%
2.9%
3.7%
3.1%
1997
2.6%
2.7%
2.9%
3.9%
2.9%
1996
2.4%
2.6%
2.8%
3.9%
2.5%
1995
2.6%
2.6%
3%
4.4%
2.9%
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Office for National Statistics (UK). (April 26, 2023). Percentage of working hours that were lost due to sickness absence in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by age group [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/290235/sickness-absence-rates-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Percentage of working hours that were lost due to sickness absence in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by age group." Chart. April 26, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/290235/sickness-absence-rates-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age/
Office for National Statistics (UK). (2023). Percentage of working hours that were lost due to sickness absence in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by age group. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/290235/sickness-absence-rates-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Percentage of Working Hours That Were Lost Due to Sickness Absence in The United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by Age Group." Statista, Statista Inc., 26 Apr 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/290235/sickness-absence-rates-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age/
Office for National Statistics (UK), Percentage of working hours that were lost due to sickness absence in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by age group Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/290235/sickness-absence-rates-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Percentage of working hours that were lost due to sickness absence in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2022, by age group [Graph], Office for National Statistics (UK), April 26, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/290235/sickness-absence-rates-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-by-age/