New research has revealed the most stressful industries in the UK, with the human health and social work industry taking the top spot.
The study, conducted by personal injury experts at Claims.co.uk, analysed HSE data to examine the number of stress-related illnesses caused or worsened by employment per 100,000 workers from March 2022 to March 2023; the highest number of stress illnesses determined the ranking.
| Rank | Industry | Stress Illness Per 100,000 Workers | |
| 1 | Human Health and Social Work Activities | 3,530 | |
| 2 | Public Defence | 3,260 | |
| 3 | Education | 2,720 | |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Activities | 2,310 | |
| 5 | Finance | 2,140 | |
| 6 | Real Estate | 2,070 | |
| 7 | Information and Communication | 1,870 | |
| 8 | Arts and Entertainment | 1,820 | |
| 9 | Wholesale and Retail Trade | 1,530 | |
| 10 | Accommodation and Food Service Activities | 1,430 | |
The human health and social work industry ranks first on the list; the study found that 3,530 people per 100,000 workers have been impacted by stress at work. However, this industry has one of the largest average salary ranges, between £17,000 to £63,000, and includes jobs such as doctors, therapists, and nursing home assistants.
Public defence, which has an average salary range of £18,000 to £31,000, is revealed as the second most stressful industry. For every 100,000 workers, 3,260 reported a stress-related illness, meaning that security guards and prison officers are highly likely to suffer from work-related stress.
The education industry is third on the list, which has an average salary range of £28,000 to £40,000. For every 100,000 workers, 2,720 people reported work-related stress, which is an overwhelming figure of almost 3 in 100.
Ranking fourth on the list is the professional, scientific, and technical industry, which includes jobs such as solicitors and barristers, and has an average salary range of £25,000 to £48,000. The study revealed that for every 100,000 workers, 2,310 have suffered from work-related stress.
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By GlobalDataThe finance industry ranks fifth on the list, with 2,140 workers reporting a stress-related illness per 100,000 people. However, the finance industry has a high salary range, ranging from £28,000 to £54,000, where job roles include accountants and bankers.
