The latest workplace health and safety statistics have served to highlight that “workplace health challenges persist,” in Great Britain.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which publishes the annual summary of workplace health and safety statistics for Great Britain, has highlighted Britain’s leading health and safety record, but also cautioned that many health challenges remain, particularly in relation to mental health in the workplace.
Britain’s health and safety watchdog published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries for 2024/25 in November 2025.
The figures show that an estimated 1.9 million working people suffered from a work-related illness between April 2024 and March 2025.
Over half of these people (964,000 workers, or around 51%) experienced stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by their work. Meanwhile, just over a quarter were dealing with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) (511,000 workers or around 26%).
Health and safety statistics show workers are struggling with mental health
The number of workers struggling with work-related stress, depression or anxiety has remained extremely high in recent years, with mental health concerns consistently accounting for around 50% of all work-related illness.
In November 2024, for example, the HSE revealed that 1.7 million workers had suffered from a work-related illness, and that 46% of these were experiencing work-related stress, depression or anxiety (776,000 workers). Back in 2023, the overall figure was 1.8 million, with work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounting for around 49% of cases (875,000 workers).
While levels of work-related ill-health have remained broadly similar over recent years, they remain higher than pre-pandemic levels, recorded in 2018-19.
During 2024-25, then, 964,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, with 409,000 of these representing new cases of work-related mental health concerns. An estimated 22.1 million working days were therefore lost due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety, accounting for almost two thirds of all working days lost due to work-related ill-health in 2024-25 (62% of 35.7 million).
Public administration and defence, human health and social work, and education remain the sectors with the highest reported rates of work-related mental health conditions.
The HSE noted that mental health in the workplace remained a key concern, with its Chief Executive, Sarah Albon, commenting:
“Great Britain maintains its position as one of the safest places to work globally, built on more than 50 years of health and safety regulation. However, these statistics demonstrate that workplace health challenges persist, particularly around mental health.
“We remain firmly committed to protecting people and places, supporting businesses to create healthier working environments, and ensuring continuous improvement in workplace safety standards across Britain.”
Health and safety statistics highlight ‘significant pressures’ in the workplace
In total, an estimated 40.1 million working days were lost last year due to work-related ill-health and workplace injuries combined.
The HSE notes that this places “significant pressure on both workers and businesses.”
Other key figures for 2024-25 include:
- 124 workers were killed in work-related accidents
- 680,000 people sustained a non-fatal injury at work, according to figures from the Labour Force Survey
- There were 59,219 RIDDOR-reportable injuries to employees
- Slips, trips and falls are the biggest causes of work-related injuries (30%), followed by handling, lifting or carrying (17%), being struck by a moving object (10%), acts of violence (10%) and falls from height (8%)
- Industries with the highest rates of non-fatal workplace injuries include transportation and storage, construction, wholesale or retail trade or repair of motor vehicles and accommodation or food service activities
- Work-related injuries and ill-health cost the economy a total estimated £22.9 billion (2023-24 – annual costs are based on a three-year average, with the named year being the middle year of the three)
In addition, the statistics show that there were 2,218 mesothelioma deaths in 2023, linked to past exposures to asbestos at work.
Annual mesothelioma deaths are expected to reduce over the period 2024-2040, as we move further away from the point at which the use of asbestos was banned in the UK and stronger regulations were introduced to support those who may be exposed to it.
In total, occupational lung diseases account for around 11,000 deaths each year which are estimated to be linked to past exposures at work.
Learn more about the HSE’s workplace health and safety statistics online.
Health and safety training and support
First Response Training (FRT) is one of the UK’s largest and leading national training providers.
They deliver a wide and diverse range of training for businesses and organisations across all industry sectors and throughout the UK. Their course range includes training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, mental health, food safety, health and social care and more.
Their health and safety training is mapped to UK standards and legislation and follows HSE guidelines. The portfolio includes courses such as Health and Safety, Managing Health and Safety, Risk Assessment, Accident and Incident Investigation, Working at Height, Asbestos Awareness and many more.
An accredited Mindful Employer themselves, FRT’s specialist mental health training courses include Understanding Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, Managing Stress, Anxiety and Phobias Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.
They can also provide qualified, approved trainers to deliver accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training courses, including the Adult, Youth and Lite versions.
A trainer from FRT says:
“We believe in creating safer working environments with people who care. This is our vision and central to our services. It means providing training that helps to protect people’s physical and mental health, safety and welfare.
“Any life lost at work is obviously one too many, and non-fatal injuries can also have significant, life-altering impacts on workers. Additionally, while stress is not recognised as a diagnosable mental health condition, it can lead to more serious mental health problems such as depression and anxiety and can also have physiological effects.
“It’s important to ensure that we regularly undergo essential training in health, safety and welfare across all organisations and industries.”
Helpful resources to support health, safety and welfare at work
A brief summary of our mental health training can now be downloaded as an infographic.
We also have several other free infographics available to download which provide simple tips for helping to manage your mental and emotional wellbeing and proactively manage your stress levels. These include:
- Managing Stress at Work
- Manage Your Stress at Work
- Manage Your Stress
- Support Your Mental Health
- Connect With Nature
- Work Well From Home
You can download our free Guide to Mental Health Training from our website.
We also offer a guide to promoting positive mental health at work, a guide to creating a happy and inclusive work environment and lots of other free guides and resources.
For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.