People work through pain because they can’t afford the time off

A huge number of people are working through pain, with a quarter reported to be taking painkillers due to a work-related injury, a new poll suggests. The survey of 2000 British workers carried out by National Accident Helpline claims that a third of people are regularly working through pain as they cannot afford time off.

The research suggests while economic inactivity in the UK has hit crisis point, with record long sickness impacting 2.8 million Brits, not enough attention is being paid to the many Brits who are working with pain, which can often lead to worsening long-term conditions.

Over half of those surveyed said they have never thrown a sickie in their career, while 28 percent said they have begun using remote working days as a substitute for sick days. A quarter of those surveyed also report having or having had computer vision syndrome, an umbrella term for eye problems developed from using screens, often for too long without taking a break.

Key findings:

• Over a third of people (37 percent) have worked through pain as couldn’t afford to take time off
• Almost a third (28 percent) have worked from home when they should have otherwise used a sick day.
• A quarter of people 26 percent have or have had computer vision syndrome.
• Quarter have taken painkillers to work due to working through a work-related injury.
• More than half of Brits have never thrown a sickie (56 percent).