Sickness absence among education professionals is escalating - and fast. What was once an occasional disruption is now becoming a structural challenge, impacting not just school budgets, but also the quality of education and the wellbeing of teaching staff. It’s clear that the sector needs a step change in how it approaches staff health and support.
In the 2022/23 academic year alone, nearly 13,700 teachers in England were absent every day, adding up to approximately 2.5 million lost school days. That’s a staggering 461,500 more days lost than just four years earlier in 2018/19. Meanwhile, the 2021/22 academic year saw over 3.2 million days lost - a 56 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels. On average, each teacher is now taking 9.3 sick days per year, up from 7.5 pre-pandemic.
It’s not just the numbers that are alarming, it’s the cost. To keep schools running in the face of rising absence, the education sector in England spent £1.2 billion on supply teachers in 2022/23 alone. And that’s just one layer of the wider economic impact.
Zooming out, workplace sickness cost UK businesses more than £100 billion in 2023, with £25 billion attributed to reduced productivity from employees working while unwell (a phenomenon known as presenteeism), and £5 billion lost due to sick days. Employees are now losing an average of 44 days of productivity a year due to health-related issues, up from 35 days just five years ago.
So, what’s driving the surge in absences, particularly in education? Unsurprisingly, stress, depression, and related mental health conditions are among the leading causes, costing schools across England and Wales over £400 million annually. The emotional toll of teaching, combined with ongoing challenges like Ofsted inspections, funding cuts, and staffing pressures, has left many educators feeling stretched beyond capacity.
Another significant but often overlooked factor is menopause-related absence. The National Education Union has flagged this as a growing concern, with menopausal symptoms increasingly leading to time off work. Considering that 75 percent of school personnel are women, and a large proportion are in their 40s and 50s, this is a critical issue. The union is now calling for mandatory menopause training for school leaders to help address the gap in understanding and support.
These rising costs and mounting pressures demand more than just sticking plasters. What’s needed is a proactive, cost-effective approach that tackles the root causes - early access to healthcare, improved mental health support, and flexible policies that empower staff to manage their wellbeing.
That’s where Livi’s digital healthcare solution comes in. Designed to be low-cost and high-impact, Livi provides small-medium sized businesses (SMBs), including schools and educational organisations, with a seamless way to offer accessible healthcare perks without the heavy overheads. Whether it’s managing stress, mental health concerns, or accessing timely support for menopause-related symptoms, Livi ensures your staff get the help they need, when they need it.
Our services integrate smoothly with existing employee benefits frameworks, and activation can be as simple as a voucher code. It’s a modern solution for a sector that’s overdue for innovation in staff care.
The message is clear: we can’t afford to keep doing things the old way. Rising sickness absence is draining budgets, disrupting learning, and pushing educators to the brink. A more supportive, flexible and health-conscious approach is not just desirable, it’s essential.
Want to see how Livi can help your organisation reduce absenteeism and improve staff wellbeing? Get in touch today for a free consultation or demo and take the first step toward a healthier, more resilient workforce.
