More than two million workers miss work due to financial stress, research finds 

More than two million UK workers missed work because of financial stress in the past year, according to new findings that underline the link between money worries, mental health and workplace wellbeing. 

Pepper Money’s Specialist Lending Study 2025/26, based on a survey of 4,000 adults, shows 2.05 million people have taken time off work due to financial pressures. This amounts to 8.4 million lost working days and an estimated £860m in reduced output each year. 

The research highlights growing financial strain across households, with 37 per cent of UK adults reporting financial stress in the past three years. A third (33 per cent) say their financial situation is negatively affecting their mental health. 

The findings come a week after the Autumn Budget and shortly after the Government’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, which identifies mental health as a core part of financial resilience. 

Londoners report the highest levels of concern. Sixty-one per cent say they are worried about their financial position, compared with the national average of 56 per cent. They are also almost twice as likely to miss work because of money pressures (11 per cent versus 6 per cent nationally). 

Paul Adams, Sales Director at Pepper Money, said financial stress is “now having a measurable impact on the UK economy”. He added that “the human impact behind these numbers is just as stark”, with many people struggling with the emotional strain created by money worries. 

The report points to rising demand for advice and support, particularly in areas where financial anxiety is highest, including London, the West Midlands and the North East (all 60 per cent). 

Pepper Money’s study suggests employers may see financial wellbeing become a more significant factor in attendance, performance and mental health over the next year, as households continue to navigate the cost of living and more complex financial circumstances.