For Debt Awareness Week, we’re highlighting how debt affects mental health – and the support that is available to help.
Throughout the cost-of-living-crisis many people have had to turn to lenders and may be struggling to keep up with their repayments. The mental health toll can be really challenging, with increased feelings of anxiety keeping you up at night or making it harder to enjoy your relationships. It can make existing mental health problems like depression worse and all together, feel overwhelming.
The mental health effects of debt can make navigating it an even more isolating and lonely experience. It’s important to remember that you are not alone, and that there is support available to you.
Want to know more? Join us for our Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ 26-28 March r/ukpersonalfinance. We’ll be joined by StepChange to answer all your questions on mental health and debt.
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Fidra is set to help Edinburgh pupils reduce anxiety levels and will be on hand to help around the upcoming exam period
Therapy dogs in schools are working wonders across Scotland – not least at Fettes College.
The Edinburgh school recently introduced its first four-legged member of staff, who took up a new role at the beginning of the summer term to help improve student wellbeing and reduce anxiety levels.
Two-year-old Fidra is no stranger to Fettes College, having grown up with over 50 girls in the school’s College West Boarding House. She recently qualified as a therapy dog after being assessed by Therapet®, which is run by Canine Concern Scotland Trust.
Therapet® is a voluntary service that allows assessed and registered dogs and owners to provide pet therapy to places including hospitals, care homes, hospices, and schools. Studies have shown that therapy dogs help humans to release endorphins – the happy hormone – and so can reduce stress and anxiety levels.
As well as providing emotional support, therapy dogs also help schoolchildren build confidence with activities like reading and speaking in front of their classmates.
Mel Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, Canine Concern Scotland:“Our Therapets® have been supporting people around Scotland for 36 years, so the benefits of human and animal interaction are not new and can be positively lifechanging.
“Central to the visits is the wellbeing of each Therapet® and we have strict policies in place to ensure that our Therapets® do not become over-tired or stressed, particularly in busy school environments.
“Fidra has a unique knowledge and love of the school, and we’re looking forward to hearing how her visits progress and the benefit that the school community receives from these visits.”
Sue Bruce, Head of Wellbeing at Fettes College, said:“Research has shown the endless benefits of therapy animals in educational settings. Dogs are excellent listeners, which is a huge help when it comes to building up confidence in young people.”
Fidra will support students in both Fettes’ Prep and Senior school. As well as helping teach students about caring for animals, Fidra will be available for walks in Fettes’ grounds, and will also be on hand in the medical centre and in the classroom to provide support.
Fettes College student, Isla H, said: “Fidra is an enthusiastic and loveable dog, so I’m never scared to go up and play with her.
“She always looks like she has a little smile on her face, and she is so welcoming.”
Sue continued:“With her calming presence and affectionate nature, we’re sure Fidra will serve as a valuable resource in promoting emotional wellness among students and staff, provided her favourite treat – sausages – are in abundance.”
April marks Stress Awareness Month in the UK, which since 1992 has sought to raise awareness of the causes and dangers of stress.
Stress is the body’s reaction to pressure or feeling threatened. It is very common and can help people to work hard and achieve their goals. However, too much stress can have a negative impact on your physical, emotional and mental health.
The theme for this year’s month is Little By Little, focusing on the impacts of small, consistent and positive actions. To mark the month, the learning experts at online training provider High Speed Training have shared some tips to help identify and effectively manage stress at home.
Stress is a normal part of life, and everyone will experience it at some point. There are many causes of stress and they will be different for everyone. Some common sources of stress include:
Feeling under lots of pressure.
Facing big changes in your life.
Being worried about something or someone.
Not having control over the outcome of a situation.
Having overwhelming responsibilities.
Not having enough work or having too much work.
Experiencing discrimination, hate or abuse.
Going through a period of uncertainty.
Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning & Development at High Speed Training, said: “A key part of managing stress is being able to recognise when you are stressed and responding appropriately. This is crucial as preventing and managing long-term stress can lower your risk for other conditions such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and depression.
“There are many sources of stress in our everyday lives. For many, stressful situations occur in the workplace or due to our jobs. All employers must ensure the health and safety of their employees, including minimising the risk of stress-related illness, so if you are experiencing stress at work, you should try and speak to your employer.”
Know the signs
There are many symptoms of stress, from feeling anxious and angry to physical manifestations, such as headaches, difficulty breathing and muscle aches.
When you’re stressed, your muscles can contract and become tense, leading to neck pain, headaches, back ache and cramps. Physically relaxing your muscles can help to alleviate these feelings.
Trying to control your breathing can also help. Try taking a deep breath through your nose, holding it for 5-6 seconds and breathing out through your mouth. Repeating this three times can help increase the amount of oxygen to your brain and reduce your heart rate.
Take Some Time and focus on rest
Taking some time out of your daily routine is essential if you are going to relax your mind and body fully. Activities such as reading, walking, doing a hobby or spending time with friends can all help alleviate stress and allow you to focus on a positive activity.
Sleep is also essential to our wellbeing so you should aim to get a full night’s sleep every night. Most people need around 7-8 hours’ sleep a night, though some people can manage on 6.
To get a better night’s sleep, try going to bed and getting up at similar times each day to stabilise your body clock, and try to complete a relaxing activity before you go to sleep. It’s also important to ensure your bedroom is sufficiently dark and quiet, and if possible, avoid using electronic devices in bed.
Eat healthily
Dr Andersonsaid: “Without a balanced diet your body may be more susceptible to stress-related illnesses, so it is vital that you continue to eat healthily when you are feeling stressed. Always eat breakfast and keep hydrated throughout the day to stop yourself running out of energy and feeling tired.
“Eating foods from the 5 key food groups at every meal, consisting of a large amount of fruit, vegetables and starchy foods, a moderate amount of protein and dairy and a small amount of fats and sugars, will help to keep you happy and healthy.
“Try to cut out as many saturated, high-calorie foods as possible, such as pies, pastry, cakes, biscuits and crisps, as these can make you feel sluggish and will be detrimental to your mood.”
Get moving
Exercise is a great way to prevent stress and anxiety and a good way to release tension. Whichever fitness activity you choose to do, even if it’s just for 20 minutes a day, it will help to decrease blood pressure and lower your heart rate: two of the worst physical symptoms of stress.
When you exercise, endorphins are released in your body (as opposed to the adrenaline and cortisol released when you are stressed) which help to produce feelings of well-being and calmness.
Dr Anderson continues: “Everyone will experience stress at some point in their lives. It’s clear that long-term or prolonged periods of stress can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health.
“Identifying the causes of your stress and regularly engaging in stress management activities will help you to respond effectively.”
For more information on managing stress, and for lots more practical advice, please visit the High Speed Training Hub.
A mental health charity’s research has revealed more than two thirds of Scottish respondents are not meeting their needs and could be at risk of stress, which can lead to mental health challenges.
The Mental Health Toolkit, the training arm of independent mental health charity Suffolk Mind, has identified 12 emotional and physical needs – including Achievement, Emotional Connection, Sleep, Movement, Security, Attention, Control and Community – we should aim to meet to stay well.
The charity’s validated Emotional Needs Survey reveals that out of 2,367 Scottish respondents, 66% felt they were not meeting their Emotional Needs.
The survey also found that 66% are not feeling rested after sleep, 61% do not feel part of a community and 51% do not feel secure.
Wendy Sheppard, Corporate Relationships Manager at The Mental Health Toolkit, said: “When needs aren’t being met, we feel stress, nature’s way of alerting us that something is wrong.
“Our research shows more and more people in Scotland feel they are not meeting their needs which, as a result, could cause stress and mental ill-health.
“Many of the survey respondents were employed, and we know that our workplace can either support mental health or be a barrier to wellbeing.”
The Mental Health Toolkit provides workplace training through a suite of practical mental health courses for staff, managers, and leadership teams.
Officially launching in Scotland in April through a free breakfast event, The Mental Health Toolkit offers practical skills to support mental wellbeing at work.
The event, at Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club in Kerknewton, near Edinburgh, takes place from 8.30am on Wednesday, April 3.
It will include networking with refreshments, an introduction to The Mental Health Toolkit and a Q&A session.
Wendy added: “Increasing knowledge and awareness of mental health and how to support colleagues is essential within any business or organisation.
“The Mental Health Toolkit gives people powerful tools to help recognise and meet their physical and emotional needs, as well as support those around them.
“We are excited to be officially launching our workplace wellbeing courses to businesses in Scotland, following success in our home county, Suffolk, and across the UK.”
For more information on The Mental Health Toolkit and to book your free place at the event, contact the team.
More than nine in 10 tradespeople say they or someone they know have been victims of theft
Research shows 88% of those surveyed are concerned about the ongoing issue
Almost a third of tradespeople admit the fear of theft contributes to negative mental health
60% in the industry do not believe mental health is spoken about openly
NFU Mutual is a proud supporter of Samaritans, whose volunteers offer emotional support to anyone who is struggling
More than nine in 10 tradespeople have been targeted by criminals as the fear of theft and violence puts a strain on the industry, alarming stats reveal.
New research* from commercial insurer NFU Mutual found that more than nine in 10 tradespeople (92%) say they or someone they know have been a victim of theft.
In the last 12 months alone, 53% of those surveyed said they had experienced tool or equipment theft, just shy of half had materials pinched, almost three in 10 had a vehicle stolen and 23% were victims of organised crime.
And those figures clearly weigh heavily on those in the industry, with almost a third of tradespeople (29%) admitting that the fear of theft and violence on their business contributes towards difficulties with mental health.
The rising cost of living (42%), financial worries (41%), stress of the job (39%), long hours (35%) and a lack of regular work (33%) were the other factors.
With almost nine in 10 tradespeople concerned about the threat of their equipment being stolen, NFU Mutual is urging workers to remain vigilant.
Zoe Knight, Commercial Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Theft of tradespeople’s tools or equipment continues to blight the industry and the fact 92% of people surveyed say they – or someone they know – have been a victim speaks volumes.
“Tradespeople rely on this equipment for their income and livelihood, with crime hitting not just their pocket but, as our research shows, also having a huge and negative impact on their mental health.
“To see a third of tradespeople fearing theft or violence in their day-to-day job is worrying and we would urge tradespeople to do all they can to offput the threat of that happening – via security measures and recording serial numbers of equipment.
“We want tradespeople to feel supported and protected should the worst happen and know there is also help available for those struggling.”
A report by Builders Merchants News* revealed in December that texts to a construction charity helpline had seen an increase of 105% after the launch of an initiative to take the mental health message across the UK.
That could pave the way for more open conversations, with NFU Mutual’s survey showing that more than half of respondents believe that mental health isn’t spoken about openly in the trades industry.
While more than three-quarters of tradespeople did say they were confident or fairly confident they would know where to go for support if they were struggling, worryingly, almost four in 10 (36%) said it is unlikely they would seek help if they had mental health problems.
Commercial insurer NFU Mutual is a proud supporter of Samaritans, a charity which offers round the clock emotional support to anyone struggling to cope.
Jason Jaspal, Assistant Director of Business Development at Samaritans, added: “Samaritans offers a listening ear and a safe space to share how you’re feeling 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“It’s vital that tradespeople reach out for support when they are finding life tough, rather than letting things build up and potentially reaching a crisis point. It doesn’t matter what they’re finding challenging, Samaritans is here so they don’t have to face things alone.”
NFU Mutual Risk Management Services is sharing the following advice to tradespeople:
Minimise storage of tools and equipment in vans: a robust, lockable building is preferable. Consider intruder alarms for high value equipment.
If you have to leave tools and equipment in a van, make sure it’s alarmed and, as a minimum, park against a wall so that doors cannot be opened easily.
Don’t make it easy for thieves to guess that equipment is kept inside (a van or a building) e.g. by leaving items on display and leaving tools around which may assist an intruder.
Store portable items within a robust, lockable store that is fixed in place.
Restrict and control vehicular access to the work site.
Consider video security system (temporary systems and temporary intruder alarm systems are available for site use).
Security mark your tools and equipment (e.g. forensic, engraving or permanent marking) to deter thieves and aid recovery.
Don’t stockpile high value materials such as lead and copper or leave them around for longer than necessary.
For construction vehicles use CESAR marking, tracking and immobilisation to prevent and trace thieves.
Check all locks and security measures before leaving any site e.g. alarms switched on, cameras facing the right direction and security lights working.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Keeping Stress in check
We’re coming up to a busy time of year, and if you find the lead-up to Christmas a little overwhelming, you are not alone. Stress is very personal and experienced differently by everyone.
The key is to recognise when you are feeling stressed and put things in place to reduce it before it gets too much.
There are many things you can do to manage stress and build resilience, so you cope better next time you find yourself feeling overburdened or in a stressful situation. Stress is linked to heart health because when we are feeling stressed, we can adopt unhealthy lifestyle habits which contribute to the development of heart diseases.
Here are three things to consider building into your routine to help keep stress at bay:
Prioritise your physical health
Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and ensuring we are physically active can help us deal with stress better and increase our resilience.
Research has shown that when we are sleep deprived, we report higher levels of stress, so ensuring you get seven to nine hours of sleep a night is essential.
These things can seem out of reach in the midst of stress, however, they can make a big impact so start small, making little, sustainable changes.
Spend time in nature
There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that spending time in nature can reduce our perceived stress levels and increase our overall wellbeing.
Similarly, bringing nature indoors can help you feel less stressed, so think about getting some houseplants to take care of.
You can tick two things off your stress-buster list by taking part in some movement in a green space, such as going for a jog or brisk walk in your local park.
Get creative
Spending time doing activities you enjoy can give you a much-needed break from daily life, and doing something creative that requires your concentration can give your mind some quiet time.
Think about starting a new hobby such as pottery, knitting or even block printing. We have recently partnered with the Indian Block Printing Co. to create a block printing tea towel kit which would be a great first crafty project to start with.
Leading homebuilders have unveiled two new Breathing Space benches at a development in Edinburgh
Cala Homes (East) has installed a bench at the Cammo Meadows development to help boost mental health awareness, providing a space for locals and residents to take some time out of their day for a quiet moment of reflection.
A second bench has been installed by David Wilson Homes East Scotland who, alongside Cala Homes (East), have jointly funded the benches.
Cala Homes (East) has placed its bench in a quiet corner, at the western edge of the development, beside a local woodland walk and cycle path to provide picturesque views of the historic Cammo Estate.
An inscribed plaque will clearly display contact information for Breathing Space, a free telephone service which aims to help those in Scotland who are experiencing anxiety, stress or feeling low.
Peter McNamara Site Manager at Cala Homes’ (East) Cammo Meadows development, said: “We are delighted to unveil this Breathing Space bench at Cammo Meadows. The bench will act as a reminder that mental health is just as important as physical health, and we hope that residents use it for moments of peaceful reflection.
Tony McLaren, National Co-ordinator for Breathing Space, said: “The benches we have installed help the spread of positivity, as well as encouraging people to reach out to those who need it most. By adding the plaque with our phone number, we hope to make more people aware of the helpline which is available on weekday evenings and 24 hours at weekends. Those looking to speak to a Breathing Space advisor can call 0800 83 85 87.
“We hope the residents and the whole community at Cammo Meadows and surrounding area are able to enjoy the bench, in this serene and calm setting, and that it has a positive impact on the local community.”
Anne Ross, sales director at David Wilson Homes East Scotland, part of Barratt Developments Scotland, said: “The new Breathing Space bench at our Cammo Meadows development is a welcome addition to the site, providing a space for the local community to relax and find a moment of calm amidst busy schedules.
“Residents and locals experiencing anxiety, stress or who are feeling low can also find contact details for a free telephone service on each bench’s plaque. It might not seem much, but these two small corners of calm are a positive step in supporting and shifting the stigma surrounding mental health.”
Mental health, stress and work-related stress was behind nearly one-third (30 per cent or 500,021 FTE days)* of social care staff sickness absence in councils in England last year, shocking new figures uncovered by the British Psychological Society have revealed today.
Analysis of new data obtained by the British Psychological Society (BPS) from 114 local authorities in England, has also shown that for more than three quarters (77 per cent)** of local authorities, mental health, stress, or work-related stress is the most common reason for sickness absence in their social care workforce.
The figures are based on analysis of data for the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, from 114 local authorities in England, obtained through Freedom of Information requests submitted by the British Psychological Society.
The British Psychological Society and British Association of Social Workers say the new figures highlight the desperate need for the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs, which provided dedicated mental health support for struggling health and social care staff, until government funding ended in March 2023.
New research into the impact of three hubs recently published in the BMJ has found that Hubs were seen as a valuable, responsive and distinct part of the health and care system, but that the genuine promotion of and value placed on mental health support by health and social care management, and the creation of psychologically safe work environments, was vital.
At least 15 of the 42 hubs have already closed or are pending closure, while the majority of remaining hubs continue to operate in a funding limbo after NHS England provided an inadequate £2.3million for drastically scaled back services until March 2024 – despite staff wellbeing being a key focus of the new NHS Workforce Plan.
Some hubs had set up teams dedicated to reaching the social care workforce in their areas, including the Keeping Well in South East London (KWSEL) Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, which proactively engaged with staff across six city boroughs. In one year, the team visited more than 110 care section organisations, with 448 care staff receiving training or an intervention to support their mental wellbeing, before the service was forced to close in March 2023 after its funding was cut.***
Integrated Care Systems in England are expected to make crucial decisions about future funding for the hubs and their staff wellbeing services in the next few months. The British Psychological Society and British Association of Social Workers are calling on health and care leaders to make funding for staff wellbeing support, including for the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs, a key priority in their budgets.
Dr Roman Raczka, President-Elect of the British Psychological Society, and Chair of the Division for Clinical Psychology, said: “These troubling figures are yet more evidence of the staffing crisis and working conditions within social care, and the deeply concerning toll it is taking on the mental health of a demoralised and burnt out workforce.
“Despite this, funding for the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs was cut just as many had started to make inroads into reaching social care staff who needed help, leaving significant unmet need.
“Health and social care leaders simply can’t afford not to invest in staff wellbeing if they wish to retain staff, recruit new talent, and provide the effective, safe services people deserve.
“We urge them to commit to long-term ring-fenced funding for dedicated mental health and wellbeing support for health and care staff, including through the remaining NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs.
“They must now seize upon the opportunity to build upon the foundations created by the hub network to provide mental health and wellbeing support for staff that’s fit for purpose and rooted in best practice.”
BASW found a lack of funding for social care (68 per cent), recruitment and retention problems (54 per cent) and cuts to local services (42 per cent) were pinpointed as the biggest concerns for the profession as a whole.
Almost 8 million people have been overlooked during the cost of living crisis and are now on the brink of serious hardship, Which? is warning.
It comes as new research by the consumer champion identifies 15 per cent of the UK population who are more likely to have turned to credit and buy now pay later schemes (BNPL) during the crisis. These people are at risk of significant financial and mental harm in the months and years ahead as interest rates continue to rise.
Which? surveyed 4,000 people across the UK to find out how different groups of consumers are coping – financially, physically and mentally – with the cost of living crisis. The research highlights that while the vast majority of consumers have been affected by the cost of living crisis, this pain is not felt equally.
The study identified six distinct groups of consumers who are experiencing the cost of living crisis in different ways. These groups are: ‘Drained and Desperate’, ‘Anxious and At Risk’, ‘Cut Off By Cut Backs’, ‘Fretting About the Future’, ‘Looking out for Loved Ones’ and ‘Affluent and Apathetic’.
While much of the government and policymakers’ focus has rightly been on supporting the ‘Drained and Desperate’ group – who are more likely to have household incomes of less than £20,000 and have already had to make severe financial cutbacks, such as skipping meals and not turning on the heating.
Outside of any universal support available like the government’s support for energy bills, this ‘Anxious and At Risk’ category has been largely overlooked.
The ‘Anxious and At Risk’ group contains 7.9 million adults – 15 per cent of the UK population. They tend to be from larger households with children at home and are struggling financially but have just managed to keep afloat by using credit.
However, unlike the ‘Drained and Desperate’ group, they are much more likely to have borrowed money to maintain basic living standards than to have cut back on essentials, such as food and energy.
Six in ten (59%) have increased their debt in the last six months – the highest amongst all groups.They are also more than twice as likely (36%) as the UK population (14%) to have used buy now pay later schemes.
With interest rates continuing to rise, it is only a matter of time before this group is unable to keep up this cycle of borrowing and fall into financial difficulty.
One woman from northern England in this ‘Anxious and At Risk’ group said: “I have to use credit to make ends meet and I worry about debt. I have no safety net for emergencies and I will have to work past state pension age.”
Four in 10 (38%) of this group have a mortgage or loan on their home and worryingly, one fifth (21%) of those with a mortgage are on a variable tracker mortgage – meaning their rates are hiked every time the Bank of England base rate rises.
The Bank of England has raised interest rates significantly in the last year in attempts to combat inflation, meaning those on fixed-rate mortgages who are remortgaging this year will also be faced with massive hikes to their mortgage payments. This could be a major tipping point for ‘Anxious and At Risk’ households.
It is also hugely concerning that millions are heavily relying on Buy Now Pay Later schemes. Previous Which? research shows that many BNPL users do not realise they are taking on debt or consider the prospect of missing payments.
The government must not delay plans to introduce changes to the BNPL industry and ensure that consumers are given stronger safeguards to protect them. This needs to include greater marketing transparency, information about the risks of missed payments and consumer credit checks.
At such a difficult financial time, businesses must also do everything in their power to ease pressures on household budgets. Which? is calling on essential businesses – energy firms, broadband providers and supermarkets – to do more to help their customers and ensure they are providing value for money.
For example, supermarkets need to make budget line items that support a healthy diet widely available – particularly in convenience stores.
Telecoms firms must cancel future mid-contract price hikes and energy firms need to ensure their customer service departments are fully staffed and able to support any customers who are struggling to make ends meet.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “Our research reveals that almost eight million people have been left balancing on a financial knife-edge.
“Until now, the government and policymakers have rightly focused on supporting the millions who are already failing to make ends meet, but this ‘Anxious and At Risk’ group is a ticking time bomb.
They are far more likely to have relied on borrowing to make ends meet but with interest rates continuing to rise, it’s only a matter of time before they find themselves facing serious hardship.
“The government must help those most in need by tightening regulation on buy now pay later to stop unaffordable lending and ensuring essential businesses are doing everything in their power to ease pressures on household finances.”
Do you need help to deal with your debt? Granton Information Centre can help: call 0131 551 2459, 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk
NEW polling reveals 1 in 2 workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding
“Gruelling” work intensity is a growing problem in “burnt out Britain”, with workers reporting that they are working harder and longer now compared to previous years, the TUC has warned.
The TUC says increasing work intensity means workers are having to pack more work into working hours – with work often spilling over into their private lives.
The warning comes as the union body releases new polling, conducted by Thinks Insight (formerly Britain Thinks) which reveals:
More than 1 in 2 (55%) workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding.
And 3 in 5 (61%) workers say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days.
The polling also reveals workers feel the situation is getting worse. Compared to the previous year (2021):
More than a third of workers (36%) are spending more time outside of contracted hours reading, sending and answering emails.
1 in 3 (32%) are spending more time outside of contracted hours doing core work activities.
4 in 10 (40%) say they have been required do more work in the same amount of time
4 in 10 (38%) say they are feeling more stressed at work
The TUC says women face greater work intensity than men.
The polling shows that compared to men, women are more likely to say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days (67% to 56%) and that work is getting more intense (58% to 53%).
Women are overrepresented in sectors such as education and health and social care. These are sectors where staff shortages and other factors, such as burdensome scrutiny and long working hours, have led to increased work intensification.
And women continue to shoulder most of the caring responsibilities at home, which can further add to time-pressures on them.
Burnt-out Britain
Recent TUC analysis revealed UK employers claimed £26 billion of free labour last year because of workers doing unpaid overtime.
3.5 million people did unpaid overtime in 2022, putting in an average of 7.4 unpaid hours a week.
As well as being detrimental to family life, long term-ill health conditions caused by overwork include hypertension and cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, and long-term effects on the immune system, increasing risk of causing autoimmune disease diagnoses.
When workers are tired, or under excessive pressure, they are also more likely to suffer injury, or be involved in an accident.
Perfect storm
The TUC says there are several factors are combining to create a “perfect storm” for work intensity. This includes:
Surveillance technology and algorithmic management: Algorithmically set productivity targets can be unrealistic and unsustainable – forcing people to work at high speed. Algorithmic management can also force workers to work faster through constant monitoring, including monitoring the actions they perform and their productivity.
Staff shortages: Low pay, excessive workloads and a lack of good flexible work are key drivers of the staffing crisis. Staff shortages put huge strain on those who remain as they try to plug the gaps, fuelling excessive workloads and long-working hours. This undermines the quality of our public services, and leads to high attrition and absenteeism rates, worsening the workload crisis.
Inadequate enforcement of working time regulations: The working time regulations contain important rights for workers which could help safeguard against work intensification and the consequential health and safety risks, but enforcement of these rights is inadequate. This is in part down to lack of resources for enforcement agencies. The Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for enforcement of the maximum weekly working time limits, night work limits and health assessments for night work, has had its budget slashed in half over the past decade.
Decline in collective bargaining: Industrial changes have combined with anti-union legislation to make it much harder for people to come together in trade unions to speak up together at work. This decline in collective bargaining coverage has led to less union negotiation around work organisation, resulting in work intensification.
Ministers are currently looking to water down rules on how working time is recorded by employers in the UK, which they could impose using powers in the controversial REUL (Retained EU Law) Act.
This could significantly weaken our already-inadequate enforcement system even further, making it more difficult for labour market inspectors to prove non-compliance.
Action needed
The TUC says ministers must take urgent action to tackle burnt out Britain, including:
Introduce a new right to disconnect to ensure workers get a proper rest break away from work and make sure that work doesn’t encroach upon a worker’s home life.
Strengthen enforcement of working time regulations – that means funding the HSE properly and ditching proposed changes to how working time is recorded.
Fix the public sector recruitment and retention crisis, bringing down excessive workloads and dangerously unsafe staffing levels, delivering year-on-year fully-funded pay rises and making improvements to working conditions.
Make flexible working a genuine legal right from the first day in a job. People should have the right to work flexibly from day one, unless the employer can properly justify why this is not possible. Workers should have the right to appeal any rejections. And there shouldn’t be a limit on how many times you can ask for flexible working arrangements in a year.
Promote collective bargaining to make it easier for unions to speak withand represent workers – including broadening the scope of collective bargaining rights to include work organisation, the introduction of new technologies, and the nature and level of staffing.
Introduce to statutory duty to consult trade unions before an employer introduces the use of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making systems. This would ensure that both the employer and worker can benefit from the introduction of new technologies and that productivity gains lead to decent pay rises for workers.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “No one should be pushed to the brink because of their job.
“Gruelling hours, pace and expectations at work are growing problems up and down the country. This is a recipe for burnt out Britain.
“Chronic staff shortages, intrusive surveillance tech and poor enforcement of workers’ rights have all combined to create a perfect storm.
“It’s little wonder that so many feel exhausted at the end of their working day.
“It’s time to tackle ever-increasing work-intensity. That means strengthening enforcement so that workers can effectively exercise their rights.
“It means introducing a right to disconnect to let workers properly switch off outside of working hours.
“And it means making sure workers and unions are properly consulted on the use of AI and surveillance tech, and ensuring they are protected from punishing ways of working.”
On public sector overtime and the recruitment crisis, Paul added: “Public sector workers can’t keep going on gratitude alone. Staff are getting burnt out and leaving public services in droves.
“It’s time ministers got serious about fixing the recruitment crisis blighting our NHS, our schools and our public services.”
