The public sector sicknote epidemic: They're 60% more likely to be off than staff who work for private firms
Public sector workers are 60 per cent more likely to be off work due to illness than employees in the private sector.
The extent of Britain's sick note epidemic is exposed in Office for National Statistics figures that reveal 148.9 million working days were lost last year, equivalent to 4.4 days for each worker.
And the share of such absences among public sector employees was 2.9 per cent, significantly higher than the private sector's 1.8 per cent.
The ONS claimed it could be explained by differences in types of jobs in the sectors and that workers in state-funded jobs were more likely to be paid for being off than those in private employment.
But John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers are fed up with footing the bill for a public sector that's far more likely to be off sick.
'It reflects poor management and weak accountability. In the private sector, this would raise serious questions – in the public sector, it's too often ignored. Ministers must set clearer expectations, better oversight and ensure taxpayers aren't left footing the bill for unchecked absenteeism.'
Sick rates have been higher in the public sector for every year on record, the ONS said. But in both cases, rates were lower last year than in 2023.
The overall number of working days lost last year was 14.9 million down from 2023 but still 9.9 million higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
The sickness absence rate of 2.5 per cent for women was higher than for men, at 1.6 per cent. James Cockett, from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said some public sector roles – healthcare, education, social care and policing – could increase exposure to illness and also often be 'physically and emotionally demanding'.
He said this could lead to greater rates of stress-related absence He added more public sector employers offer occupational sick pay compared with private sector employers.'
Len Shackleton, of the Institute of Economic Affairs think-tank, said: 'Private sector workers are more likely to be employed in small workplaces where absence is more noticeable and they may feel obliged not to let colleagues down.
'Their jobs may also be less secure than those in the public sector, again a motive for 'presenteeism' [where employees go to work despite being sick] which public sector workers don't feel to the same extent.'
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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The best yoga mats and non-slip exercise mats tried and tested, from Lululemon to Yogi Bare
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'There's nothing more frustrating in a fast-paced Vinyasa flow than slipping, so enough grip is key,' says Henry, who recommends the Liforme mat. 'There are cheaper ones available that are decent, but they might not last as long.' We've reviewed the best yoga mats in depth below and provided answers to some frequently asked questions. However, if you're finding yourself strapped for time, here's a quick summary: The best yoga mats: At a glance JUMP TO REVIEWS How to choose the best yoga mat When selecting the best yoga mat, thickness is paramount: a standard mat (around 3mm) provides a stable base for balance and flow, while thicker mats (up to 6mm) offer extra cushioning for sensitive joints or restorative sessions. The right thickness prevents discomfort and helps protect knees and wrists during prolonged poses. Material matters for both performance and sustainability. PVC mats are durable and provide excellent grip, but may not align with eco-friendly values. Natural alternatives like rubber, cork, or jute are increasingly popular, offering good traction and a lighter environmental footprint. Cork, in particular, is antimicrobial, which is ideal for hot or sweaty practices. You also need a textured and grippy material for safety, especially during dynamic or heated classes. Portability is worth considering if you travel or commute to classes; lighter, foldable mats are easier to carry but may sacrifice some comfort. Ultimately, the best yoga mat is one that balances support, grip, sustainability and convenience to suit your personal practice and values. How we test yoga mats Every mat on this list was tested through completing a series of yoga sessions and HIIT (high intenstity interval training) workouts. For the yoga sessions, I used videos by YouTube sensation, Yoga with Adriene. I took note of how thick and comfortable each mat was, which meant considering how comfortable my knees felt on the ground and how my joints felt after a heavy session. I also thought about the weight of each mat while carrying them to and from gym sessions. I looked for a soft but supportive material that wasn't slipper and, of course, a decent price. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. From running shoes to exercise bikes, all reviews are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. The best yoga mats of 2025 1. Best Buy Yoga Mat: Lululemon The Mat Top marks for this double-sided mat from Lululemon, which offers unparalleled grip, a stable surface and plenty of support. It's unnoticeable in the best way; I felt grounded and supported, and my hands and feet didn't budge. Lululemon offers several thicknesses of mat, but I would opt for the 5mm for joint support. This mat is reversible and comes in a wide range of colours and designs. One side is smooth and the other is slightly textured, but both are made from natural rubber. It's the perfect size – a touch longer and wider than most standard yoga mats, at 180cm x 66cm. This means it offers plenty of space to stretch out. Thanks to its slightly thicker construction, I found it also makes the perfect partner to HIIT and strength workouts. Despite being thicker than most others, it's not unduly heavy, at 2.4kg. That's the upper end of what I'd consider to be an easy weight to carry, but it means that this mat excels both at home and in class. The only downside is that it doesn't come with a carry strap or bag – but that really is nitpicking. Put simply, it's a brilliant all-rounder that is more than worth the investment. Key specifications 2. Best Value Yoga Mat: Manduka Prolite Yoga and Pilates Mat The Manduka Prolite is wonderfully durable. It's favoured by The Telegraph's Boudicca Fox-Leonard, a part-time yoga instructor. Fox-Leonard says: 'For the yogi looking to find a mat that will be able to follow them on their practice journey without flaking, Manduka mats are hard to beat on quality and simplicity. They also have ethical credentials: they're non-toxic and 100 per cent latex free, with an emissions-free manufacturing process. 'While Manduka's range is overwhelming, opt for the Manduka Prolite. You'll get a mat light enough to carry (it weighs 1.8kg) without compromising on cushioning. It might prove slippy for those first few practices, but then you and your mat will be stuck to each other for life.' Manduka promises its mats are made for life, and they come with lifetime guarantees. The most durable option you can find. Key specifications Material: PVC Measurements: 80cm x 61cm Thickness: 4.7mm Weight: 3.08kg 3. Best Non-slip Yoga Mat: Liforme Original Yoga Mat Yoga teacher Emma Henry's favoured mat is the Liforme original. There's no getting around the fact that it's expensive, but this is a mat that will last for years and years. It has a uniquely smooth surface whilst still offering unparalleled grip. It is also one of only a handful to be printed with a handy alignment guide. At 185 x 68cm and 4mm thick, it's slightly larger than average, so perfect for practicing at home – however, given it weighs 2.5kg, it's not the easiest to lug to a yoga class. If you're looking for a mat to use on the move, Henry also recommends the Liforme travel mat (£99.95, Amazon). 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At 2.1kg it's completely manageable to carry if you tend to take your yoga mat to the gym though you'll have to buy a separate bag or straps. I also love the design – the mandala in the middle of the mat is an excellent point of focus for trickier yoga positions. Key specifications 5. Best Ethical Yoga Mat: Yogi Bare Wild Forest Ever Grip Paws Yoga Mat I loved testing this mat – primarily because it's refreshingly lightweight and transportable when paired with Yogi Bare's Carry Bag (£20), and it's also easy to store as a result. Where it truly shines is its patented Ever Grip technology, which means the surface is extra grippy, durable and stain-free, while remaining as eco-conscious as ever. Having tested this mat over several weeks during both yoga and HIIT workouts, I can attest to the excellent grip and lack of marking – it still looks as good as it did out of the box. At 4mm thick, it's certainly on the thinner end of the spectrum, but I still find it supportive enough for my joints. That said, my wrists, where I have a particular weakness as a result of previous injury, would have preferred a little more cushioning. It measures 180cm x 66cm, so it's a touch narrower than the Liforme mat, but I found it to be more than spacious enough. For reference, I could easily still squat while facing sideways. Living in a small London flat, I actually appreciated the narrow form and it was plenty long enough for my 174cm height. Other small but appreciated features include the alignment and orientation guides to keep you on track during different movement types, and notes of affirmation which depend on the colour you choose – my 'desert sand' colourway told me 'you belong here', which was reassuring during a particularly gruelling ab workout. As for the sustainability credentials, Yogi Bare uses natural rubber, plant-based dyes and recycled packaging. 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Key specifications Yoga mat FAQs What to look for in a yoga mat You want a good grip, a thick base and high-quality material like natural rubber for support, and a light enough weight that it can be carried to and from a gym. Visual alignment markers, to help with the placing of hands and feet are also useful. There are other factors to consider, too: texture and size. 'I like a big, heavy mat for home practice, but when you're travelling you need it to be lighter,' says Emma Henry, yoga teacher at Triyoga, who uses a Liforme travel mat or Lululemon '(Un)mat' when she's on the move. She also considers the ethics of a company: 'what they're doing to support yoga teachers and what they're doing environmentally.' Consider too the style of yoga you practice – hot yoga, in which you're likely to sweat a lot, will require a mat that offers plenty of grip and is easy to clean, whereas a slower restorative or yin yoga class might require a mat that's thicker and more supportive. How to clean a yoga mat To stay on top of keeping your yoga mat clean, you should try to disinfect it before and after each session with equal parts water and white vinegar, and a dash of tea tree oil. For bigger cleans, every couple of weeks, or more or less depending on your usage, put your yoga mat in a bath or shower and give it a good scrub with water and dish soap, leave it to dry, then roll it up. Most yoga mats cannot be put in the washing machine, but check the individual instructions. How thick should a yoga mat be? As a general rule of thumb, stick to yoga mats between 4mm and 6mm. Bear in mind a thinner mat will be more portable, while a thicker mat will be easier on the joints. If you're doing more floorwork yoga, you might choose a thicker mat as well for the extra cushioning. That said, too much thickness can affect the flow of movement so it's all about finding the balance. How long does a yoga mat typically last? A yoga mat typically lasts between six months and two years, but it can depend on how often you use it and care for it. What is the best material for a yoga mat? Most standard yoga mats are made from polyvinyl chloride. Newer, more eco-friendly options include natural and recycled rubber, jute, and cotton. Can yoga mats be recycled? Polyvinyl chloride mats are the most difficult to recycle as they may contain plasticisers, UV retarders, dyes, and dirt. Rubber yoga mats and biodegradable mats are much easier to recycle. It is always worth checking with the manufacturer to be sure.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The Lords must now revise this dreadful assisted dying Bill
Britain is a less civilised country today. Seldom has the House of Commons enacted legislation with such potentially calamitous consequences as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which has passed its third reading by a majority of 314 to 291. The narrow margin of victory for the assisted dying Bill indicates that opinion had turned against the legalisation of euthanasia during the process of scrutiny, but not in sufficient numbers to defeat it. The only hope of mitigating its worst aspects now lies with the House of Lords. The Lords is a revising chamber and it should now do the job that the Commons failed to do: proper scrutiny. In this case, the revision required to make this legislation workable and safe will have to be radical. This Private Member's Bill was not in the Labour manifesto and so the Upper House is much less limited by convention in the scope of possible amendments. Peers are not generally eager to correct the follies of MPs, but this time their Lordships' duty is to make root and branch changes to the Bill, even if this risks confrontation with the Commons. In particular, the bishops of the Church of England have a responsibility to speak out much more clearly on a matter of such moral gravity. We know that in countries where euthanasia has been legalised, a large and growing proportion of all deaths are now assisted by doctors. In Canada, for example, some studies suggest up to 10 per cent of all lives will end in this way. Surely the Lords Spiritual should be leading the national conversation about what is likely to become reality here, too, in the very near future. Many people will rightly feel a sense of dread at the prospect of death on the NHS. When the new law takes effect in 2029, our health service will be obliged to offer assisted suicide as though it were just another form of care. Palliative care (already the Cinderella of the NHS) will now compete for resources with the new 'service'. As we report, assisted death is likely to overwhelm the NHS and finally break its budgets. Doctors will have to offer lethal drugs to any and all patients who are deemed to be terminally ill, as long as they have mental capacity. Those who meet the criteria could include patients with all kinds of disabilities, people with Down's Syndrome and those with eating disorders. The panels that will decide whether to authorise assisted dying do not need to have personal knowledge of the patient, nor to inform families or friends. They need only decide on the balance of probabilities that the patient is not being coerced. How did Britain find itself saddled with such a 'bad Bill', as the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it, on a matter of such cardinal importance? The Prime Minister must carry much of the blame. Unwilling to shoulder responsibility, he chose to pass the buck to Kim Leadbeater, a backbench MP with more zeal than sagacity. A Government Bill would have allowed much more time to examine the practical costs and benefits of shoehorning the provision of medicalised death into a service designed to preserve life. One of Sir Keir Starmer's predecessors, Gordon Brown, rightly observed that in the name of autonomy the Bill sets up a false choice. Patients who request assisted dying will in future have a legal right to receive it, 'without guaranteeing anything approaching an equivalent right to high-quality palliative care for those close to death', he said. The refusal of the Commons to acknowledge this glaring injustice now places the onus on the Lords to enable physicians to offer terminal patients a genuine choice. Whatever one's views about the principle of assisted dying, this Bill is a case of legislating in haste and repenting at leisure. Posterity will have to live with its lasting impact on the relationship between the public and the medical profession. But it is not too late for peers to remedy some of the Bill's flaws.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Midwife took laughing gas while working on high-risk ward
A Scottish NHS midwife has been suspended after she was caught taking laughing gas while caring for vulnerable pregnant women. Mariedh King was discovered consuming nitrous oxide — also known as 'hippy crack' — in an empty labour room whilst working on a ward for high-risk patients, a disciplinary hearing was told. She admitted to an internal investigation that she had done so multiple times over a two-month period. The midwife claimed that the drug's effects were always out of her system by the time she saw patients but could have caused a problem if there was an emergency. Laughing gas is the colloquial term for nitrous oxide which causes euphoria, uncontrolled laughter, and dizziness. In medical settings it is used for sedation and pain relief. A fitness to practise committee has found that King had put patients at risk by 'knowingly and intentionally' taking the drug. It said the only 'appropriate and proportionate' sanction was a nine-month suspension from the Nursing and Midwifery Council register. The professional tribunal heard that the midwife, who was based in Fife, qualified in 2000 and was working on a ward for high-risk pregnancy patients. In September 2021, King was found by the senior charge midwife in an empty labour room inhaling laughing gas that was intended for patients. After being discovered King went home. The incident was the only time she was found using the drug, but during the course of an internal investigation she admitted to doing it more than once. King told the tribunal the effects of laughing gas are 'very short-lasting' and were always out of her system by the time she attended patients. However, she accepted this could have been different if she had been called to an emergency whilst under the influence. During the hearing it was suggested that the midwife, who had an unblemished career, was experiencing personal struggles at the time of her misconduct but the details have been withheld. A panel found that King had 'knowingly and intentionally' stolen the nitrous oxide from her employer and put vulnerable patients at risk, which amounted to misconduct as well as impairing her fitness to practise. It said: 'The panel determined that Mrs King knowingly and intentionally stole, and used, nitrous oxide at her place of work. 'Mrs King knew that it was wrong to take the nitrous oxide which was for the use of patients only … was responsible for vulnerable patients under her care and the panel was of the view that Mrs King's actions jeopardised patient safety and put patients at a risk of harm. 'This was a serious departure from the standards expected of a registered midwife and amounted to misconduct.' The panel ruled that a striking-off order would be 'unduly punitive' but her drug-taking did warrant further action. King was suspended for nine months with a review hearing required before she can be admitted back onto the register, to ensure she has developed enough insight into her misconduct to practise safely again. 'Mrs King's misconduct arose more than once, albeit it was a single episode, in an otherwise unblemished career,' the panel said. 'It has found attitudinal issues related to Mrs King's dishonesty but it did not deem these to be deep-seated or personality related. There is no evidence of Mrs King repeating her misconduct. 'Whilst the panel acknowledges that a suspension may have a punitive effect, it would be unduly punitive in Mrs King's case to impose a striking off order. 'Balancing all of these factors the panel has concluded that a suspension order is theappropriate and proportionate sanction.'
