Third of employees may not know workplace mental health support exists

Up to a third of employees whose employer provides mental health support may not realise it is available to them, according to research from Simplyhealth.

The research, conducted among 5,000 UK employees and 500 HR decision-makers, found 61 per cent of employers said they provide mental health support, but only 41 per cent of employees reported having access to it.

The gap highlights a challenge for workplace health and wellbeing strategies: investing in mental health provision does not necessarily mean employees know the support exists, nor how to access it – or when to use it.

Simplyhealth’s research also suggests that access to mental health services in general is an issue for employees. Some 14 per cent said faster mental health appointments would improve their ability to access the healthcare they want, rising to 19 per cent among Gen Z and 15 per cent among Millennials.

Across all generations, 11 per cent said access to specialist services, including mental health support, would help.

The findings come as Simplyhealth estimates the UK will have lost 17 million working days to mental ill-health during 2026 by 8 October, days ahead of World Mental Health Day (10 October 2026).

The calculation is based on Health and Safety Executive data showing 22.1 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25, extrapolated across the number of working days in 2026.

Simplyhealth and Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA England) are using World Mental Health Day to encourage employers to look at how effectively they communicate available mental health support and the role managers can play in connecting employees with appropriate services.

The organisations said managers can help recognise signs of poor mental health, hold supportive conversations and signpost employees towards professional help, but this needs to be backed by wider organisational support.

Bree Rhodes-Wort, partnerships development manager at Simplyhealth and trained Mental Health First Aider, said: “As a mental health first aider myself, I’ve seen first-hand the difference it makes to my colleagues when they can speak openly about their mental health, knowing that they’ll be met with empathy, understanding and confidentiality. It is one of the most effective ways of supporting and sign-posting colleagues to the right support.”

Simplyhealth and MHFA England have provided nearly 1,000 people with free training through a tailored Mental Health Awareness course, as covered by The Well Crowd earlier this week.

Vicki Cockman, director of training and consultancy at MHFA England, said: “Employers are paying for mental health support that up to a third of their people may not know exists. Managers are best placed to close that gap, but they can’t do it alone. Our Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards set out what effective, sustainable provision looks like, helping employers move beyond one-off training to create cultures where employees thrive.”

The findings suggest employers need to consider employee awareness and access alongside the range of mental health benefits they provide. Clear communication, confident signposting and accessible professional services could help ensure investment in workplace mental health translates into support employees actually use.

Simplyhealth’s The Access Gap: Building Healthcare Around Real Working Lives research was conducted by Opinium among 5,000 UK employees between 23 April and 6 May 2026 and 500 HR decision-makers between 23 April and 7 May 2026.