87 per cent of employers say health support should come before long-term absence

Nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) UK employers believe they have a responsibility to support employees with health conditions before they reach the point of long-term sickness absence.

The figure comes from research by Aviva, which points towards a growing focus on prevention and early intervention as employers consider their role in tackling ill health and economic inactivity.

Confidence in supporting people back into employment following ill health also appears to have increased. Four in five employers, 80 per cent, now believe their organisation is good at supporting employees returning to work after long-term ill health, up from 74 per cent in Aviva’s 2024 research.

Employer recognition of their responsibility for supporting returns to work has also increased, from 82 per cent in 2024 to 87 per cent in the latest study. More than four in five employers, 83 per cent, said the review had influenced their organisation’s approach to supporting employees with health conditions or disabilities.

The research was published around 20 months after the Government launched its Keep Britain Working Review to examine how employers, government and wider services could work together to help people remain in, or return to, employment.

The findings suggest workforce health is increasingly being viewed as an issue requiring action before an employee leaves work because of ill health, rather than focusing primarily on managing their eventual return.

For employers, that could mean greater attention on preventative health, early access to appropriate support and how work itself can be adapted to help employees remain in employment while managing a health condition.

However, the study’s findings suggest that businesses do not believe responsibility for improving workforce health should sit with employers alone.

Some 56 per cent said a greater focus on public health and supporting people to live healthier lives would help organisations better support employees’ health and ability to remain in work.

Half, 50 per cent, wanted greater guidance on accessing best-practice support services, up from 45 per cent in 2024.Meanwhile, 48 per cent called for greater help making those services affordable and 47 per cent wanted additional guidance on employer best practice.

The findings highlight the relationship between workplace health provision and the wider healthcare and public health system. While employers can influence working conditions and provide access to health and wellbeing support, employees’ ability to remain healthy and economically active can also depend on access to appropriate healthcare and specialist services outside work.

Dr Suba M, Medical Director and Sustainability Lead, Aviva UK Health said: “Employee health is a growing priority for businesses. Since the Keep Britain Working Review was announced in 2024, more employers recognise the role they can play in helping employees stay in work and getting them back to work following ill health.

“It’s encouraging to see growing confidence among employers and a clear commitment to invest in the health and wellbeing of their workforce. However, businesses are equally clear that tackling economic inactivity cannot be achieved by employers alone. There is a strong appetite for greater collaboration between employers, government and healthcare providers, alongside a stronger focus on prevention and public health. Helping more people stay healthy, remain in work and return to work requires coordinated action across all stakeholders.”

The research was conducted by Censuswide among 502 UK employers, defined as respondents at line or team manager level and above, between 26 August and 1 September 2026. The comparison research was conducted among 504 UK employers in October 2024.