More than one million workers in the UK are on course to resign from their jobs in the next year due to illness or poor mental health, according to a damning new study published by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University.
In what researchers describe as a “direct challenge” to the government’s ambitions for economic growth and higher living standards, the findings expose deepening cracks in the health and stability of the UK workforce.
The Work Foundation’s survey of 3,796 UK workers paints a stark picture of a labour market strained by long-term health issues and inadequate workplace support. Six per cent of employees—equivalent to over one million across the workforce—expect to quit within 12 months due to ill health, citing overwhelming workloads, high stress levels, and mental burnout.
The data reveals that 20 per cent of all workers are currently in poor health. These individuals are twice as likely to believe they won’t be in employment within the next three years, pointing to long-term consequences for both individual livelihoods and national productivity.
Young workers at greatest risk
The study highlights young workers aged 16–24 as especially vulnerable. This group is 1.5 times more likely to experience poor mental health than other age brackets. Worryingly, 34 per cent of them say their jobs negatively affect their mental health, and 43 per cent fear that deteriorating wellbeing could drive them out of work in the near future.
Experts warn that a failure to address these challenges could scar a generation, fuelling long-term economic inactivity and social disengagement among Britain’s youth.
Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation, said:
“This new analysis suggests that without additional support, we could see a new generation scarred by unemployment and economic inactivity in the early years of their working lives. This will have major implications for communities, employers, and local economies across the UK.”
Low-income workers face deeper inequalities
Those earning under £25,000 per year are among the hardest hit, with only 53 per cent able to take paid time off for medical appointments and just 46 per cent feeling confident taking sick leave. The study suggests that low-income earners are significantly less likely to access workplace benefits proven to support good health.
Professor Stavroula Leka of Lancaster University warned:
“The wave of workers leaving the labour market prematurely is not going to stop unless health is prioritised in the workplace. With younger workers and those on low incomes being particularly hard hit, action needs to be taken quickly before lasting damage is done.”
The Foundation is calling for a national reset on workplace health and stress at work, advocating for broader access to flexible working arrangements, improved occupational health provision, more generous sick pay, and expanded NHS mental health support. It also recommends guaranteeing that all young people have access to high-quality work that promotes wellbeing and development.
Pressure mounting on health-related services and benefits
The report comes as the NHS also grapples with staffing issues driven by health concerns. Separate research released today by Unison shows that more than a quarter of NHS ambulance control room staff have left their roles over the past three years. Burnout and mental strain, largely due to the high volume of distressing 999 calls, have forced thousands into extended sick leave.
In total, more than half a million days have been lost to illness among call handlers since April 2021, with 166,940 of those days occurring in the past year alone.
This wider trend dovetails with earlier data from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which revealed that one in ten working-age adults—around 4 million people—now receive health-related benefits. This is a 38 per cent increase in just four years, with spending on incapacity and disability support rising from £36 billion to £48 billion in the same period. Projections indicate this figure may reach £63 billion by 2028.
In response, ministers have announced plans to reform the benefits system, with 800,000 claimants expected to see an average reduction of £4,500 per year. Officials argue the move is essential to stem unsustainable growth in welfare spending, though the proposed cuts are likely to spark public and political debate.
A looming challenge for the labour market
The research underscores the need for immediate intervention to address the dual crises of workforce health and economic participation. As young people, low-income workers, and NHS staff bear the brunt of these pressures, the call for a reimagined approach to employment health standards is growing louder.
For employers, policymakers, and service providers alike, the message is clear: unless health is placed at the heart of workforce strategy, the UK risks long-term economic underperformance and social division.
