Dudley Council staff are taking more sick leave, with mental health concerns leading the reasons for absence. Recent figures from April to November 2025 reveal that the number of full-time council employees dropped from 5,887 in 2023/24 to 5,212 in 2025/26. Meanwhile, sickness days lost per full-time employee rose from 8.07 to 9.1.
Mental health issues—including anxiety, depression, and work-related stress—accounted for 11,309 of approximately 47,700 total lost days during this period. At a January Social Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee meeting, Councillor Kathy Bayton questioned officials about a possible link between reduced staff numbers and increased workload.
“Five to ten years ago, musculoskeletal problems dominated absences, but now stress and mental health are the leading causes,” Cllr Bayton noted.
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Dudley Council’s Chief Executive, Balvinder Heran, explained that counseling and occupational health feedback indicates a complex mix of mental health challenges, including pressures at home and caring responsibilities. Ms. Heran highlighted initiatives to reduce work-related stress, such as retraining staff to use technology more efficiently and automating services to minimize manual tasks.
“Although the council has faced financial challenges in recent years, stabilizing budgets are allowing increased investment in workforce wellbeing, with positive trends beginning to emerge,” she added.
Further statistics show non work-related stress causing 3,315 sick days, while musculoskeletal conditions accounted for 4,266 days lost. Other top reasons for absence included recovery from surgery (4,419 days), cancer (2,584), colds and flu (2,062), bereavement (2,017), and gastrointestinal illnesses (1,722).
These insights underline the growing impact of mental health on public sector workforce attendance and the importance of ongoing support and adaptation.