Facts and Figures
A report from the Centre for Mental Health 2017
In this update to the figures from 10 years ago, this report highlights that mental health problems in the UK workforce cost employers almost £35 billion last year.
The updated figures highlight that the overall costs are broken down into:
-
£10.6 billion in sickness absence;
-
£21.2 billion in reduced productivity at work, or ‘presenteeism’
-
£3.1 billion in replacing staff who leave their jobs because of their mental health.
Every organisation across the country is affected by mental health problems in the workforce.
These figures indicate a crucial need for them to create healthy work environments and properly support those employees experiencing mental health problems.
To do otherwise will undermine not only the wellbeing and happiness of employees, but the wealth of businesses and the health of society.
-
10% of children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem.
-
Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence bring significant emotional, social, and educational disadvantage.
-
75% of mental health problems in adulthood begin by the age of 24 years.
-
Effective early interventions have the potential to reduce later mental health burdens and costs.
-
46% of people with a mental health problem have a long term physical health condition and 30% of people with a long-term physical health condition have a mental health problem.
-
People living with severe mental illness are over three times more likely to have a physical health problem and may die 10–20 years earlier than others in the general population.
-
The majority of premature deaths in people with severe mental illness are caused by potentially modifiable health-risk behaviours, such as tobacco smoking, alcohol and addictions, lack of exercise and obesity and social factors such as poverty, homelessness, and unemployment.