Glasgow City Council has been identified as having the highest rate of employee sickness absence in the United Kingdom, with staff taking more than 1.3 million sick days over a three-year period. The council, led by the Scottish National Party (SNP), also reported the most days lost to long-term sickness, totaling over 950,000 shifts missed by workers signed off for four weeks or more. This figure surpasses that of larger English cities like Leeds and Birmingham.
A report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance highlights the issue, noting that Glasgow City Council staff take an average of ten sick days per year, which is 30 percent more than the public sector average and double the rate in the private sector. The alliance stated that these absences cost UK councils approximately £667 million annually, with mental health issues accounting for a quarter of these days.
In the 2024-25 period, Glasgow reported 437,833 sickness days, more than double Leeds' 170,522 days and four times Birmingham's 98,192 days. Long-term sickness days in Glasgow for the same period were 315,026, compared to 121,730 in Leeds and 70,089 in Birmingham. Glasgow also had a higher average number of sick days per full-time employee, with 14.8 days compared to 13.9 in Leeds and 11.5 in Birmingham.
Political figures have voiced concern over the figures. Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy described the situation as "deeply alarming" and questioned whether the council administration was addressing the "sick note culture." Reform UK deputy Scotland leader Thomas Kerr called the figures "embarrassing" for Glasgow and a "waste" of taxpayer money.
The TaxPayers' Alliance report also noted that UK councils spent £5.5 billion on agency and temporary staff over three years. The alliance's researcher Anne Strickland urged council bosses to "get a grip on this soaring absenteeism immediately."
Cosla, an umbrella body for Scottish councils, stated that Scottish councils are committed to being Fair Work employers and aim to help staff with long-term health conditions remain in or return to work. The organization acknowledged that local government employees deliver essential services in demanding circumstances, and that years of workforce reductions and increasing demand have put pressure on staff, impacting wellbeing and leading to increased sickness absence.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council stated that as one of the largest authorities in the UK, it is expected to appear high on such lists. The council maintained that managing absence is important and that it has policies in place to maximize attendance while acknowledging that staff do experience illness.