Centre for Mental Health

Mental Health at Work:
Developing the Business Case

Every organisation in Britain is affected by mental distress and ill health in the workforce. At any one time one worker in six will be experiencing depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress.

The total cost to employers is estimated at nearly £26 billion each year. That is equivalent to £1,035 for every employee in the UK workforce.

Simple steps to improve the management of mental health in the workplace should enable employers to save 30 per cent or more of these costs - at least £8 billion a year.

This policy paper looks at how mental ill health in the workforce affects employers and details the costs of ignoring mental distress at work.