Musculoskeletal issues
Havering Council is monitoring staff sickness absence trends, which include musculoskeletal issues, as overall absence rates show a downward trend.
Havering Council reported a continued downward trend in staff sickness absence in March 2026, with the average number of days lost per employee decreasing from 10.8 in 2023/24 to 10.2 in 2024/25. This improvement placed the council ninth among London boroughs for reduced sickness absence, according to a report.
Despite the overall improvement, long-term sickness absence remains a challenge for Havering Council, with an average of 6.9 days lost per employee in 2024/25, which is slightly above the London average of 6.4 days. Mental health-related absence continues to be the primary cause, as stated in the Wellbeing Annual Report 2025.
In July 2025, a Sickness Absence Benchmarking Report presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Board indicated that Havering Council's sickness absence rate of 10.8 days per employee for 2023/24 was in the worst quartile of London boroughs. This represented an 8% increase from the previous financial year.
Key facts
- Havering Council's average staff sickness absence decreased to 10.2 days per employee in 2024/25. Source
- Long-term sickness absence at Havering Council averaged 6.9 days per employee in 2024/25. Source
- Havering Council's sickness absence rate was 10.8 days per employee in 2023/24. Source 1 Source 2
- In July 2025, Havering Council's 2023/24 sickness absence rate was in the 4th quartile of London boroughs. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.