Mental Health at Work: UK Employer Guide

The Scale of the Issue

Mental health is the leading cause of sickness absence in the UK:

• 1 in 6 workers experience mental health problems in any given week (Mental Health Foundation, 2023)
• Mental ill health costs UK employers £56 billion per year (Deloitte/Mind, 2022) — through sickness absence, presenteeism, and staff turnover
• 300,000 people with long-term mental health problems lose their jobs each year (Thriving at Work review, Stevenson-Farmer, 2017)
• Investing in mental health support returns £5.30 for every £1 spent (Deloitte, 2022)

Legal Framework

Equality Act 2010

Mental health conditions that have a substantial, long-term (12+ months) adverse effect on day-to-day activities qualify as a disability under the Equality Act. This covers:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• PTSD
• OCD
• Schizophrenia
• Eating disorders

Employer duties apply: reasonable adjustments, non-discrimination, no direct or indirect discrimination.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Employers have a duty to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees, which the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) interprets as including mental health. The HSE's Management Standards for Work-Related Stress provide a framework for risk assessment.