A response from the Royal Osteoporosis Society to the new ONS sickness absence data

A report published by the Office for National Statistics on 4 June 2025, found:  

• Rates of worklessness in the economy continue to be historically high, continuing a post-pandemic explosion of sickness absence 

• Musculoskeletal conditions, which includes conditions like osteoporosis, are the biggest single contributor, at 15.5% of overall work days lost 

• Groups with the highest rates of sickness absence in 2024 included women, older workers and people with long-term health conditions, with osteoporosis represented across all three categories 

According to the report, the percentage of occurrences of sickness absence caused by MSK problems, such as osteoporosis, has increased every year since 2022.  

Craig Jones, Chief Executive at the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said: 

“Today's new data shows that musculoskeletal conditions are the biggest driver of all when it comes to sickness and worklessness.   

A tsunami of broken bones caused by osteoporosis is one of the biggest ingredients of this crisis, costing employers over £129 million a year in England alone.   

Debilitating broken bones don’t just harm the older workers affected, they undermine economic growth and place severe strain on public services.   

Speedy action on the Government’s commitment to roll out specialised bone clinics is crucial for overcoming this growing problem and keeping experienced older workers in the labour market".   

Data on osteoporosis and work 

Research by Lane, Clark and Peacock (LCP), commissioned by the ROS, estimated: (1) 

• Businesses lose about 1.5million work days every year as a result of osteoporotic fractures, comprising over one million sick days for employed individuals aged 40-69, and 460,000 lost to carers absences from their workplace. 

• The total cost of sick days – including absences associated with caring for those with fractures - could be costing employers an estimated £129million per year. Osteoporotic fractures suffered by employees cost their employers over £87million per year, with more than 56% of the costs of sick days attributed to vertebral fractures.  

• Over 57,000 osteoporotic fractures occur annually among employed individuals in England, the majority of which are women. 

• 50% of all fractures are vertebral and 54% of all fractures occur among women aged 50 to 69. 

• Among individuals aged 50 to 69, annual sick days taken by women represented 62% of the total days. 

• Spinal fractures are a major driver of people in their 50s and 60s leaving the workforce, a ROS survey shows. (2) 

• 8% of hip fractures occur in people in employment, aged between 50-64. (3) 

• In 2023, sick days at work reached a ten-year peak, with musculoskeletal conditions identified as the second greatest driver. (4) 

• By 2034, there will be a 26.2% increase in fractures, so we can expect these burdens on the economy and public services to intensify quickly unless action is taken. The cost of all fragility fractures is forecast to increase significantly by 2034 due to a predicted 13% increase in the population over the age of 50, and the anticipated increase in all fragility fractures of 26%. (5) 

• UNISON reports back pain is one of the biggest causes of work absences, accounting for more than 12million days lost every year. (6) 

Facts about osteoporosis  

• Osteoporosis causes bones to lose strength and break more easily (also known as fractures).  

• Broken bones caused by osteoporosis can be painful, impact on daily life, reduce independence, and sometimes lead to life-changing disability.  

• Osteoporosis causes 500,000 broken bones every year in the UK, costing over £4.5billion. (7) 

• Half of women and 20% of men over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. (8) 

• 3.5million people in the UK are estimated to have osteoporosis. (9) 

• 1 million acute hospital bed days are taken up by hip fracture patients. (10) 

• Hip fractures are ‘heart attack-level’ events, which impose major burdens on hospitals, ambulances and social care.  

• 2,500 people die every year from preventable hip fractures, ROS calculations show. (11) 

• Half of hip fracture patients had a previous fracture that could have flagged them as being at risk. (12) 

• Broken Bones are the fourth worst cause of disability and premature death. In the 2020 league table of disability, fragility fractures were placed as the fourth most burdensome condition - outranked only by ischemic heart disease, dementia and lung cancer. (13) 

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) in England 

Fracture Liaison Services are specialist bone clinics that diagnose and treat osteoporosis after the first fracture. In areas without an FLS, people with broken bones are being fixed up in A&E fracture clinics and forgotten about, without their underlying osteoporosis being diagnosed and treated. Afterwards, the condition continues to weaken their bones. Many then re-fracture with devastating consequences. These consequences are often avoidable if we catch people early.  

• Only half of NHS trusts (51%) in England have an FLS.  

• In May 2024, the Conservative Government pledged to deliver universal FLS coverage across England by 2030. The pledge was matched by Labour – then in opposition - and the Liberal Democrats.  

• In September 2024, soon after the General Election, Health Secretary Wes Streeting restated Labour’s commitment to delivering FLS. He said: “We've made the promise, and now we will keep the promise.”  

• In February this year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting doubled down on that pre-election pledge when he told Parliament: “The Government are committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030. I promised that before the election, and that is what we are delivering.”