The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics for 2024/2025 were officially released on Thursday, November 20, 2025
TP Safety Services has reviewed the data, and while the UK remains a leader in overall safety, the figures reveal areas where attention must be focused.
A Note on Data Analysis: It is crucial to remember that these HSE figures represent a high-level snapshot. For true insight, this data must be used as the starting point. Integrating internal data with other external data sources is needed to build a true risk profile.
The Big Picture: Key Figures at a Glance
The headline figures from the HSE statistics for 2024/2025 show the persistent challenge of work-related ill health and injury:
- Work-related ill health: An estimated 1.9 million working people suffered from a work-related illness (new or long-standing).
- Lost Working Days: A staggering 40.1 million working days were lost due to work-related ill health and injury.
- Economic Cost: The estimated annual cost of injuries and new cases of ill health reached £22.9 billion (2023/24 rolling average).
- Fatal Injuries: 124 workers were killed in work-related accidents.
| Metric | 2024/25 Key Figure | Trend/Context |
| Work-related ill health | 1.9 million | Broadly consistent, but remains very high. |
| Work-Related Stress, Anxiety, Depression | 964,000 workers | Primary driver of ill health and continues an upward trend. |
| Fatal Injuries (Workers) | 124 deaths | Slight decrease, but a decade-long plateau on the rate. |
| Lost Working Days | 40.1 million | Places significant pressure on UK businesses. |
Hot Take 1: Managing The Stress Rise
The most significant and worrying trend from the 2024/25 data is the continued rise of work-related mental health.
- Nearly 1 million workers (964,000) suffered from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety.
- Mental health conditions now account for over 50% of all work-related ill health cases.
TP Safety Services’ Insight:
Businesses must shift their safety culture to include Psychological Risk Management. This means moving beyond generic policies to proactive risk assessments of factors like workload, tight deadlines, lack of managerial support, and organisational change.
Hot Take 2: Fatal Injuries—A Success & A Warning
While the provisional figure of 124 worker fatalities is a welcome decrease, the rate of fatal injury appears to be on a long-term plateau.
Persistent High-Risk Industries
Fatalities remain highly concentrated in a few key sectors:
- Construction: Highest total number of deaths (35 fatalities), often due to the complex logistics and dynamic nature of sites.
- Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing: Highest fatal injury rate (around 22 times the all-industry average), with 23 fatalities, driven by the use of heavy machinery and issues surrounding lone working.
The Leading Causes of Death
The top three causes of death accounted for 60% of all fatalities in the HSE statistics 2024/25:
- Falls from Height (35 fatalities)
- Struck by a Moving Object (18 fatalities)
- Struck by a Moving Vehicle (14 fatalities)
TP Safety Services’ Insight:
For high-risk sectors, the focus must be on reinforcing basic, yet critical, controls. For Construction, this means rigorous management of Work at Height. The plateauing rate suggests complacency must be countered with continuous, visible safety leadership and investment in competency training.
Hot Take 3: The Backbreaking Burden
Despite decades of guidance on manual handling and ergonomics, Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) remain the second largest category of work-related ill health, affecting 511,000 workers.
- This includes issues with the back, upper limbs, and neck.
- MSDs contribute significantly to the total lost working days.
TP Safety Services’ Insight:
This statistic highlights a common oversight: treating MSDs as a simple physical strain rather than a systemic risk. We urge clients to look beyond basic training to address the frequency, duration, and pace of tasks, especially in manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. A thorough ergonomic training and assessment is a proactive business investment.
The Unavoidable Cost
With an estimated economic cost of £22.9 billion, the message is clear: poor health and safety is a major financial drain on the UK economy.
This cost is borne by businesses through:
- Lost production due to 40.1 million working days lost.
- The cost of sick pay, recruitment, and replacing lost skills.
- The rising cost of enforcement, with the HSE delivering a high conviction rate and collecting over £33 million in HSE fines in 2024/25.
TP Safety Services’ Conclusion for Your Business
The 2024/25 HSE statistics are a direct call to action. While the UK’s overall safety record is good, the rising tide of mental ill-health and the enduring risks in high-hazard tasks demand a strategic, not just compliant, approach.
Health and safety, when implemented effectively, is not a cost centre—it is a critical enabler of sustainable business performance, staff retention, and resilience.
Consult, Train and Protect Your Team
1. Expert Consultation for Systemic Risk
Don’t let these statistics define your business’s future. TP Safety Services offers tailored consultancy to implement robust safety management systems, focusing on the high-risk areas identified in the HSE report.
Is your business ready to turn these statistics into a competitive advantage?
➡️ Request a Free Initial Consultation Today!
2. Upskill Your Team with Online Learning
The most effective way to drive down incidents is through knowledge and competency. Use this reflection on the HSE data to upskill yourself and your key personnel in the areas that matter most:
- Work at Height Safety
- Managing Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace
- Manual Handling and Ergonomics Training
💻 Start Learning Now: TP Safety Services Online Learning Platform