As I was driving into work the other day, the radio informed me that it was “Blue Monday”. It was 19 January 2026 and, as it was the third Monday in January, it is often described as the “saddest day of the year”.
The reason behind this is that, after the holiday period, many people experience a dip, whether that be financially, emotionally, physically, or a combination of all three. The miserable weather, shorter daylight hours, and pressure to keep to New Year resolutions all contribute to this day.
Whilst this day was initially considered a media gimmick, it is now acknowledged as a great opportunity to raise awareness about mental health.
In November 2025, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its Health and Safety at Work: Summary Statistics for Great Britain 2025, and I thought it appropriate to share some startling statistics on “Blue Monday”.
- There were 964,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety (new or long-standing) in 2024/25.
- There were 409,000 workers with a new case of work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2024/25.
- 22.1 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2024/25.
The HSE has confirmed that these numbers are trending upwards.
(Source: HSE, Health and Safety at Work: Summary Statistics for Great Britain 2025.)
If you’re lucky enough not to feel “Blue Monday,” spare a thought for a friend or colleague who may not be in the same position. Today is a good day to start the conversation or reach out to someone you know who may be struggling with their mental health.
A great resource for the automotive family is Ben, who work with individuals and companies to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Ben provides life-changing support to those facing crisis as well as helping them prevent crisis. They can help people with their mental health, physical health, and their wellbeing.
If rising stress-related absence is affecting your business, our Lawgistics telephone helpline and HR Manager software can support your policies, conversations, and casework.
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