Coronavirus pandemic and work-related ill-health in Great Britain, 2021/22

123,000

Workers suffering COVID-19 in 2021/22 which they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work (new or long-standing) (LFS).

585,000

Workers suffering from a work-related illness caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic (new or long-standing) in 2021/22 (LFS) [Excludes 123,000 suffering COVID-19]

12,348

COVID-19 cases reported to Enforcing Authorities in 2021/22 which employer believed may be caused by exposure at work (RIDDOR)

The rate for human health and social work activities in 2021/22 where work-related illness may have been from exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) at work is around three times higher than all industries
Industry	Rate	Lower CI	Upper CI
Human health/social work	1130	760	1500
All industries	340	260	410

Around 40% of those suffering from COVID-19 which they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work were in human health and social work activities.

New and long-standing cases of work-related ill health caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic by type, 2021/22

New and long-standing cases of work-related ill health caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic by type, 2021/22
Category	Cases
Stress, depression or anxiety	77
Musculoskeletal disorders	12
Other types of illness	11

Industries with higher than average rates of new and long-standing work-related ill health caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2021/22

Industry	Rate	Lower CI	Upper CI
Human health/social work	2930	2320	3540
Public administration/defence	2300	1510	3090
Education	2120	1530	2720
All Industries	1470	1300	1640

Around a quarter of all those suffering from a work-related illness caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic were in human health and social work activities.

Notes

These estimates of the number of workers who suffered work-related ill health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic should not be subtracted from the overall estimate of work-related ill health presented elsewhere. It cannot be assumed that those individuals would not have otherwise suffered a work-related illness in the absence of coronavirus. This includes both those suffering COVID-19 they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work and those suffering from another work-related illness caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Workers suffering COVID-19 they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work in 2021/22 (LFS)

This estimate was derived only from those reporting either a work-related infectious disease, a breathing or lung problem or other type of illness as their most serious work-related illness in 2021/22. For more details see our 2021/22 report on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Health and Safety Statistics
Reliably identifying the source of exposure for a disease that is widely prevalent in the community at large is difficult and these self-reports may under-or overestimate the true scale.

Workers suffering from a work-related illness caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic (LFS)

As well as COVID-19 due to exposure at work, the coronavirus pandemic could also have caused or made worse other work-related conditions. Changes in how and where people were working, changes in work intensity and perceived job insecurity (even if working conditions did not markedly change) all have the potential to effect workers health. For more details see our 2021/22 report on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on health and safety statistics.
This estimate does not include the number of workers suffering COVID-19 which they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work. This estimate is presented separately.