UK Survey: One Third of Workers Under Age 25 Take Sick Days Due to Stress

In the United Kingdom, 1 in 3 workers ages 18 to 24 took time off last year due to mental health issues triggered by stress, a survey conducted by Mental Health UK found.

Burnout: The survey polled 2,436 adults working in the UK and found that those under 25 were more likely to take stress-related sick leave than any other age group.

The percentages of those who reported burnout were:

  • 35 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds
  • 29 percent of those 25 to 34
  • 25 percent of those 35 to 44
  • 14 percent of those 45 to 54
  • 10 percent of those 55 and up

Young workers reported stress due to issues such as working unpaid overtime or working longer hours due to rising living costs.

Only a third of those ages 18 to 24 said they were able to switch off from work when they needed to.

A high and rising proportion of young people have poor mental health. Around a third of 18-to-24-year-olds have what we call a common mental disorder, something like anxiety, depression or bipolar, and that’s having knock-on impacts on their education and the world of work.
—Louise Murphy, Resolution Foundation

Overcome anxiety: Anxiety and other mental issues are affecting people around the world, especially the younger generations. We live in an increasingly stressful world, but there is a way to conquer the worries and pressures of our day.

To understand, read “The Age of Anxiety.”