Almost Half of People With Flu Symptoms Miss Work or School, UKHSA Reports
On 15 October 2026, the UK Health Security Agency published data showing that 47% of people in work or education who experienced flu-like symptoms missed school or work. The findings come from FluSurvey, an online surveillance programme where volunteers report symptoms weekly. Researchers looked at more than 68,000 weekly surveys completed across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 winter seasons. Most participants stated that falling ill disrupted their daily routines. The majority treated their illness at home, usually taking painkillers, while 14% contacted a general practitioner or another healthcare service. For ordinary households, the figures highlight how widely seasonal bugs can interrupt jobs, schooling, and family schedules even without a hospital stay. Health officials noted that more than 7 million children and adults have already received a flu vaccination this season. People who are eligible can book free flu, COVID-19, or respiratory syncytial virus jabs through the NHS website, the NHS App, GP surgeries, or participating pharmacies.
What was announced
The UK Health Security Agency released new figures from FluSurvey, a citizen survey tracking respiratory bugs across the country. Over two winter seasons, covering 2023-24 and 2024-25, the public completed over 68,000 weekly entries.
Among working people and students who felt sick with flu-like symptoms, 47% took time off work or education. Most respondents stated that the illness threw off their regular routine. A large majority chose to nurse their symptoms at home, most frequently with painkillers. Meanwhile, 14% visited a GP surgery or sought help from a health service.
Alongside the survey numbers, the agency gave an update on current respiratory virus activity. Flu and COVID-19 are both running at low levels, with an earlier rise slowing down. More than 7 million adults and children have already received their autumn flu shot. Registration for this winter's FluSurvey is also open.
What it means
Those findings show that winter illness causes widespread absence long before anyone reaches a clinic or a hospital ward. Because 86% of sick people in the survey managed their symptoms without visiting a clinic, traditional NHS monitoring does not count them. The survey captures this hidden disruption.
UKHSA scientists and NHS England officials state that higher vaccine uptake can lower workplace disruption. When children receive their nasal spray vaccine, the agency says parents are less likely to need time off work to care for them. The guidance encourages eligible groups, including pregnant women and people with ongoing medical conditions, to arrange their free vaccines before winter transmission picks up.
What the announcement does not tell us
The announcement leaves several details unexplained. It does not state how many days of work or school people missed on average. Nor does it break down the data by employment sector, job type, or region, making it impossible to see where absence rates peaked.
Furthermore, these figures rely purely on self-reported symptoms, so they do not confirm whether someone had actual influenza or another common winter bug. The agency also does not provide any calculation of the financial cost of this lost time to families, employers, or the public purse.
How this was written
This analysis was written with AI from the official announcement below, using only facts that announcement states. The quoted wording is gov.uk: UK Health Security Agency’s own. Always check the original before acting on anything here.
Flu vaccination remains our best defence against workplace and school absenteeism.
Opens www.gov.uk
More from gov.uk: UK Health Security Agency
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