Sickness absence among civil servants in major UK government departments has risen significantly over the past year, driven largely by prolonged mental health-related absences, according to recent departmental reports and analysis. The trend raises concerns amid broader discussions about workplace health and productivity in the public sector.

Data from 12 departments that have published annual accounts for the year ending April 2026 show that nine experienced an increase in employee sickness absence. On average, civil servants took about 8.4 working days off due to illness last year, up slightly from 8.2 days the previous year. This is equivalent to nearly two weeks per employee annually.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which is tasked with encouraging people into work, recorded one of the steepest rises, with sickness absence rates climbing by 19 percent. The department's report noted that 4.4 percent of its workforce was absent due to sickness as of March 31, 2026, compared to 3.7 percent the previous year.

Other departments also reported notable increases. The Home Office reported an average of 8.37 working days lost per employee, up 13 percent from 7.4 days the year before, while the Environment Department saw days lost rise by 18 percent to 6.2 days per employee. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) indicated that mental and behavioural health issues accounted for 30 percent of all absences, with staff taking nearly seven days off on average. The Department for Transport cited mental ill health as the leading cause of long-term sickness, with employees off sick an average of six days.

While most departments showed rising sickness rates, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport reported decreases. Despite these fluctuations, the overall increase in absences comes at a time when the civil service workforce has expanded substantially, growing from around 384,000 employees in 2016 to approximately 520,000 in 2026.

Political figures have responded to the data with criticism and pledges for reform. A Conservative Cabinet Office spokesperson attributed the rise in sickness absence to underperformance under Labour governance, promising cuts to civil service size and inefficiencies to improve productivity. Similarly, Shimeon Lee, a policy analyst at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, called for government action to address poor management and reduce the number of working days lost to sickness in Whitehall.

Meanwhile, the civil service maintains that its sickness absence rates are broadly comparable to those in the private sector. A government spokesman cited Office for National Statistics data to support this position and emphasized existing efforts to support staff health and facilitate timely returns to work after illness.

The issue remains contentious within government. Former Labour leader Keir Starmer has previously criticized a perceived culture of decline in Whitehall and promised to enhance efficiency and productivity. The response of the new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who is set to address youth unemployment soon, has yet to be clarified with respect to tackling sickness absence and workforce health in government departments.