Poor mental health among UK workers has risen 66% since 2009 to affect 7.2 million people, while 5.6 million now say their job leaves them stressed or unhappy most or all of the time, according to new Mental Health Foundation research.
More than one in five UK workers – 22%, or around 7.2 million people – are now experiencing poor mental health, the highest level recorded since the data series began 15 years ago. That represents an increase of 2.9 million workers since 2009 (or 66%), according to new analysis from the Mental Health Foundation.
But perhaps one of the most concerning findings is that work itself appears to be becoming part of the problem. Around one in six workers – 17%, or 5.6 million people – say their job causes them stress or unhappiness most or all of the time. That marks a reversal of earlier progress. Job-related distress had been falling from 2010/11 and reached its lowest point in 2018/19, at below 15%, before beginning to rise again.
The findings are part of The Foundation Reports: Employment and Mental Health Inequality, which draws on Understanding Society, the UK’s major longitudinal household study tracking the experiences of around 40,000 households over time. The report warns that deteriorating worker mental health has implications not only for individuals, but also for workforce participation, absence, engagement, productivity and the wider economy.
WORK CAN PROTECT MENTAL HEALTH OR DAMAGE IT
The research draws an important distinction between simply having a job and having good-quality work. At its best, employment can protect mental health by providing income, purpose, identity, independence, social connection and a sense of control. But insecure, poorly paid or unsupportive work can do the opposite.
The Foundation identifies workplace bullying, unmanageable workloads, under-resourcing and poor work-life balance among the factors that can contribute to deteriorating mental health. Across the population, employment is still associated with better mental health. 21.6% of workers have poor mental health, compared with 24.6% of the wider adult population and 38.8% of unemployed people.
But chronic stress, financial insecurity and poor job design can strip away the mental health benefits of work. Fair Play Talks has repeatedly shown that employers shape wellbeing through how they design jobs, manage people and organise work.
Recent research has found, for example, that four in 10 Gen Z employees work every day of their annual leave, highlighting how workload, financial pressure and workplace expectations can make it increasingly difficult for younger employees to switch off.
22 MILLION WORKING DAYS LOST
The organisational consequences of poor mental health are already significant. Mental health conditions now account for more than half of all work-related ill health, according to Health and Safety Executive figures cited in the report. In 2024/25, depression, anxiety and work-related stress resulted in more than 22 million working days being lost.
Mental health conditions can also result in longer periods away from work than other health problems, strengthening the business case for preventing problems before employees reach the point where they can no longer continue working.
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP HAS DOUBLED
The deterioration in workforce mental health is closely linked to economic insecurity. During the cost-of-living crisis, the proportion of workers experiencing financial hardship reached 11% – that’s more than one in 10 workers.
That is double the level recorded in 2014/15. Income dissatisfaction reached 43% in 2023/24, after recording its largest annual increase during the cost-of-living crisis. The Mental Health Foundation identifies financial security as one of the strongest determinants of mental health and argues that improving pay and tackling affordability pressures could therefore be among the most powerful levers available for improving workforce wellbeing.
That relationship between money and mental health is increasingly evident in workplace research. Fair Play Talks recently reported that almost two-thirds of workers are anxious about money, with financial stress affecting productivity, mental health and absence.
The findings challenge organisations to think about financial wellbeing more broadly than offering budgeting tools or financial education. If employees simply do not earn enough to cover essential living costs, the underlying problem may be pay rather than financial literacy.
WORK SHOULD SUPPORT GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
“Work can and should support good mental health. At its best, it gives us purpose, social connection, financial security and a sense of control over our lives. That’s why it’s so concerning to see so many more UK workers struggling with their mental health than just 15 years ago,” said Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation. “But this isn’t inevitable. We know what helps: secure jobs, fair pay, engaged managers, actions to prevent absence and support recovery and workplaces where people feel valued and able to speak openly about their mental health.
The solutions are within reach, according to Rowland. “Governments and employers across the UK can take action to prevent mental health problems at work, and create healthier workplaces that support people to thrive, benefiting people, businesses, and the wider economy.”
MENTAL HEALTH INEQUALITY IS WIDENING
The deterioration is not being experienced equally. The Foundation identifies three groups at particularly high risk of poor workplace wellbeing and exclusion: people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, young people aged 16–24 and lone parents.
These groups can face a combination of insecure employment, stigma, discrimination, financial pressure, caregiving responsibilities and inaccessible workplace structures. The findings underline why workforce mental health cannot be tackled through a one-size-fits-all wellbeing programme.
DISABLED WORKERS FACE A GROWING MENTAL HEALTH GAP
Around 5.5 million disabled people and 3.9 million people with a work-limiting health condition are employed in the UK. Workers with a disability or long-term health condition are 1.5 times more likely to experience poor mental health than the wider workforce, while the mental health gap between them and other workers has almost doubled over the past 15 years.
They are also more likely to experience financial hardship, dissatisfaction with their income and work-related distress. The findings mirror wider evidence of persistent workplace barriers for disabled employees. Fair Play Talks previously reported that almost half of disabled employees say their disability or health condition makes it harder to keep a job or progress at work.
Access to workplace support also remains inconsistent. Separate Fair Play Talks coverage revealed that more than half of disabled workers had requests for reasonable adjustments unmet or only partially met. And workplace treatment itself can directly affect mental health. Research reported by Fair Play Talks found that 42% of disabled workers who experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment said it harmed their mental health.
NEURODIVERGENT WORKERS ALSO REPORT POORER WELLBEING
The findings also resonate with recent evidence about neurodivergent employees. Fair Play Talks recently reported that neurodivergent workers continue to experience poorer wellbeing, psychological safety and work-life balance despite growing employer attention to inclusion.
That research found that psychological safety – previously identified as one of the strongest drivers of wellbeing, career satisfaction and retention among neurodivergent workers – had not improved. Burnout risks remained high, with cognitive load, inflexible workplace structures and inconsistent support among the contributing factors.
Separate research found that eight in 10 autistic employees report masking and emotional exhaustion at work. Together, the findings reinforce why wellbeing and inclusion cannot be treated as separate workplace agendas.
POOR MENTAL HEALTH MUCH HIGHER AMONG THOSE OUT OF WORK
The divide becomes more pronounced among people who leave the workforce because of ill health. Among workers with a disability or long-term health condition, 34% experience poor mental health. Among people out of work because of disability or sickness, that rises to 57.9%.
Financial hardship also more than doubles – affecting 15.1% of disabled people or those with long-term conditions who are working, compared with 32.9% of those out of work because of disability or sickness. More than 2.5 million people are currently outside the labour market because of long-term sickness – around 400,000 more than before the pandemic.
The Foundation cautions against assuming that everyone who is economically inactive because of ill health can or should immediately return to employment. But healthier jobs, more accessible workplaces and earlier support could help prevent some workers being pushed out of employment unnecessarily.
YOUNG WORKERS’ MENTAL HEALTH IS DETERIORATING
Young workers are another group experiencing rapidly worsening outcomes. Among workers aged 16–24, 26.1% have poor mental health. Among young people of the same age who are not earning or learning, the figure rises to 40.6%.
Financial hardship follows a similar pattern, affecting 10.9% of young workers compared with 21.8% of young people who are not earning or learning. An estimated 12.7% of 16–24-year-olds – around 946,000 young people – are currently not earning or learning, while the proportion out of work because of poor mental health has doubled over the past decade, according to evidence cited in the Foundation’s report.
For those who do have jobs, the quality of the workplace experience matters enormously. Fair Play Talks recently explored why younger UK workers are struggling to feel connected at work, highlighting the role that managers, trust, workplace relationships and belonging can play in preventing loneliness and disconnection.
Getting young people into jobs is therefore only part of the challenge. Employers also need to provide work that enables young people to develop skills, build confidence, form relationships and see a future for themselves.
LONE PARENTS FACE INTENSE FINANCIAL PRESSURE
Lone parents face a different combination of pressures. Around one in four working lone parents experiences financial hardship, according to the Foundation. Lone parents frequently face high childcare costs, limited access to flexible work and the challenge of managing employment alongside caring responsibilities.
Employment rates also remain lower than among partnered parents. Around 35% of lone mothers and 24% of lone fathers are not in work, with employment rates among lone parents at 66% compared with 86% among partnered parents.
Interestingly, the mental health of working lone parents improved following the pandemic, when flexible and hybrid working became more widespread. The Foundation suggests that greater control over working arrangements may have enabled some parents to better manage their health and caring responsibilities. That is an important reminder that flexibility can function as mental-health infrastructure, not simply an employee perk.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY MATTERS
The evidence also strengthens the case that workplace wellbeing cannot be reduced to employee assistance programmes, apps or resilience workshops. Culture matters. Employees need to feel safe admitting when they are struggling, asking for help, challenging unreasonable workloads or requesting adjustments without fearing that it will damage their career.
Recent research on neurodivergent employees found that psychological safety remains critical to wellbeing and retention, yet has failed to improve despite greater organisational attention to inclusion. Similarly, Fair Play Talks’ World Suicide Prevention Day coverage highlighted why simply telling people to “speak up” is insufficient if organisations have not created safe routes to professional support or addressed workplace conditions contributing to distress.
The basics of good work – fair treatment, manageable workloads, supportive management, flexibility, fair pay and psychological safety – can matter at least as much as formal wellbeing benefits.
WHAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD DO NEXT
The Mental Health Foundation argues that prevention needs to sit at the heart of workplace mental health. Employers should therefore look beyond how they respond once somebody becomes unwell and examine whether the design and culture of work are contributing to the problem in the first place.
Priorities include:
- Provide secure, fairly paid work. Financial insecurity is strongly associated with poor mental health. Employers should consider whether pay, hours and contractual arrangements provide employees with genuine financial stability.
- Address workloads and under-resourcing. Persistent excessive workloads should be treated as an organisational risk rather than an individual resilience problem.
- Equip managers properly. Line managers need the time, training and authority to spot difficulties early, hold supportive conversations and make practical changes.
- Build psychological safety. Employees need to be able to ask for help, raise problems and request adjustments without fearing stigma or career penalties.
- Make flexibility meaningful. Hybrid working, flexible hours, job sharing and part-time arrangements can help employees manage health conditions and caring responsibilities.
- Improve workplace adjustments. Support should be timely, straightforward and tailored rather than forcing employees through complex or inconsistent processes.
- Strengthen stay-at-work and return-to-work support. Employees should receive personalised support before problems result in long-term absence wherever possible.
- Protect progression. People who work flexibly, have health conditions or require adjustments should not automatically lose access to development or promotion.
- Create opportunities for connection. Peer support, mentoring and meaningful workplace relationships can be particularly important for younger employees.
- Measure outcomes. Employers should track absence, turnover, employee experience and psychological safety to understand whether wellbeing initiatives are actually improving people’s working lives.
- The Foundation also recommends employers develop clear evidence-based wellbeing strategies, create psychologically safe and anti-discriminatory cultures and make mental-health support genuinely accessible.
WHAT EMPLOYEES CAN DO IF WORK IS AFFECTING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
The latest findings make clear that poor mental health at work is not simply an individual problem. Workload, insecurity, financial strain, bullying, poor management and inflexible working conditions can all contribute. But employees who are struggling can take steps to seek support before problems become overwhelming.
Talk to someone early
If you feel able to, consider speaking to your manager, HR team, occupational health service, trade union representative or another trusted person at work. You do not have to wait until you are unable to continue working. An early conversation may identify practical changes to workload, deadlines, working hours, responsibilities or working arrangements that could make the situation more manageable.
Identify what is making work difficult
Try to identify the aspects of work contributing most to the pressure. That might include excessive workload, unrealistic deadlines, unpredictable hours, bullying, discrimination, poor management, loneliness, financial stress, caring responsibilities or a working environment that makes an existing health condition more difficult to manage. Where possible, think about what could practically change, rather than feeling you need to present a solution to your mental health itself.
Ask about adjustments
Some mental health conditions may meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010, depending on their impact and duration. Where the legal duty applies, reasonable adjustments could include changes to hours, workload or responsibilities; greater flexibility over where work is performed; additional breaks; quieter working environments; more regular manager check-ins; or a phased return following sickness absence.
Even where an employee does not meet the legal definition of disability, employers can still agree practical changes that help someone remain well and productive. Fair Play Talks’ previous reporting on reasonable adjustments for disabled employees highlights how important timely workplace adjustments can be in enabling people to remain in work.
Use the support available
Occupational health, Employee Assistance Programmes, counselling services and other employer-provided support can offer useful additional help. But employees should not be expected to use counselling or wellbeing programmes to compensate indefinitely for a workload, culture or management problem that remains unchanged.
Keep a record if problems continue
If workload concerns, bullying, discrimination or requests for support repeatedly go unaddressed, keeping a record can help. Note what happened, relevant dates, who you spoke to and what action was agreed or taken. This can be useful if you subsequently need to raise the issue formally.
Don’t dismiss financial stress
The Foundation’s findings show how closely financial hardship and mental health are connected. Employees struggling financially may want to check whether their employer offers hardship support, financial-wellbeing services or other assistance and consider seeking independent advice from reputable debt or financial-support organisations.
Protect boundaries where possible
Taking breaks, using annual leave and having periods when you are genuinely disconnected from work can be important for recovery. If workload or workplace expectations make it routinely impossible to take breaks or disconnect outside working hours, that is itself an organisational issue worth raising.
Seek professional help when needed
Persistent or worsening mental health difficulties may require support beyond the workplace. A GP or other qualified healthcare professional can help assess what support or treatment may be appropriate. If someone is in immediate danger or feels unable to keep themselves safe, urgent professional or emergency support should be sought. Most importantly, employees should not be expected to compensate indefinitely for unhealthy working conditions through resilience alone.
Wellbeing cannot be an ‘add-on’
The findings point to a wider challenge for workplace leaders. Organisations increasingly offer wellbeing platforms, mindfulness apps, mental-health awareness training and Employee Assistance Programmes. Those interventions can be valuable.
But they cannot permanently compensate for low pay, chronic understaffing, excessive workload, poor management, discrimination or a culture in which employees do not feel safe asking for help. As the Foundation’s evidence suggests, one of the most effective mental-health interventions available to employers may simply be creating better work.
GOOD WORK COULD BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
The overall picture is concerning. Poor mental health among workers has increased 66% in just 15 years. Around 7.2 million workers are affected.
Some 5.6 million people say their jobs make them stressed or unhappy most or all of the time. Financial hardship has doubled, while inequalities affecting young people, disabled workers and lone parents remain significant. But the report also provides an important counterpoint.
Work itself is not inherently bad for mental health. Good work can be protective. Secure employment, fair pay, autonomy, flexibility, supportive managers, meaningful relationships and a sense of purpose can all help people thrive.
The challenge for employers is therefore not simply to ask: How do we support employees when their mental health deteriorates? It is to ask an earlier and potentially more important question: Is the way we design and manage work helping people stay well — or contributing to the problem?
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