TELUS Mental Health Index: Cost of living is top money worry for 62 per cent of UK workers as financial anxiety hits workplace productivity

TELUS Mental Health Index: Cost of living is top money worry for 62 per cent of UK workers as financial anxiety hits workplace productivity

New Q2 2026 report: Sixty-two per cent of UK workers lack a strong understanding of their retirement benefits, while more than a quarter would not report mental health issues to managers.

Quick Facts:

• One in six UK workers says financial stress is damaging their job performance
• Cost of living is the top financial stressor for 62 per cent of workers, ahead of retirement savings (12 per cent) and emergency savings (eight per cent)
• More than six in 10 (62 per cent) workers do not have a strong understanding of the retirement or savings program they contribute to
• Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of workers feel worried or anxious about their finances at least some of the time, and one in 10 always feels anxious about money

LONDON, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TELUS Health released its TELUS Mental Health Index ("the Index") reporting that the cost of living is the single largest driver of financial anxiety for 62 per cent of UK workers, ahead of concerns about retirement savings (12 per cent) and emergency savings (eight per cent). Adding to these financial anxieties, a benefits literacy gap finds 62 per cent of workers contributing to a workplace retirement or savings program do not have a strong understanding of how it works.

According to the Index, 62 per cent of workers feel worried or anxious about their finances at least some of the time, while 10 per cent always feel anxious about money. Seventeen per cent report that their personal financial situation has negatively impacted their work productivity; this group scores nearly 26 points lower on the Index than workers reporting no productivity impact and more than 18 points below the national average. Twenty-two per cent of workers lack emergency savings to cover basic needs.

"Financial strain is showing up both in people's mental health and in their ability to work effectively. Seventeen per cent of workers report a negative productivity impact from financial stress, while three per cent have missed work entirely because of it," says Paula Allen, Global Leader of Research and Insights, TELUS Health. "The findings also point to an opportunity for employers: workers are asking for clearer support around retirement and savings, while psychological safety remains closely connected to mental health."

Younger workers, parents, and caregivers are most at risk

The Index reveals distinct vulnerabilities across age groups, family structures, and workplace roles.

• Age: Workers under age 40 are three and a half times more likely than those over 50 to report a negative productivity impact due to financial stress.
• Family: Managers and parents are 70 per cent more likely than their counterparts to report the same.
• The 'Sandwich Generation': A quarter of workers provide care or financial support to adult children, aging parents, or other family members. Among workers providing this support or care, 34 per cent report a negative impact on their finances, 26 per cent on their mental health, and 15 per cent on their work productivity.

The retirement and saving benefits literacy gap

Sixty-two per cent of workers contributing to a workplace retirement or savings program do not have a strong understanding of how it works. Five per cent do not understand it at all and score 48.7 on the TELUS Mental Health Index, nearly 24 points lower than workers who understand their program very well (72.3). Fifty-nine per cent of workers want employer-provided resources or support for retirement, pensions, or savings, making these the most requested categories of financial support.

Mental health stigma

In addition to financial stress, workplace stigma continues to hinder care. Fifty-three per cent of workers feel comfortable telling their manager if they have a mental health issue, while 27 per cent would not; workers who would not feel comfortable score 12 points lower on the Index than those who would. For substance use, stigma or embarrassment (25 per cent), confidentiality concerns (24 per cent), and fear of workplace disclosure (21 per cent) are the leading barriers to seeking help.

Methodology & Data Integrity

The TELUS Mental Health Index data was collected through an online survey between June 5 and June 18, 2026, among 2,000 people living in the United Kingdom who are currently employed or were employed within the preceding six months. Participants were selected to represent the age, gender, industry, and geographic distribution of the United Kingdom. Respondents considered the previous two weeks when answering each question. Benchmark scores out of 100 represent optimal (80-100), strained (50-79), and distressed (0-49) mental health ranges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does financial stress affect employee mental health?
Ten per cent of UK workers always feel anxious about money. This group has the lowest mental health score in the report, 48 points lower than workers who never feel anxious about money and 27 points below the national average of 64.7. Workers who are not in a good financial position, representing 21 per cent of workers, score 28 points lower than financially secure peers and more than 19 points below the national average.

Q: Does financial stress affect work productivity?
Seventeen per cent of UK workers report that their personal financial situation has negatively affected their productivity at work. This group scores 46.3 on the Index, nearly 26 points lower than workers who disagree (71.7) and more than 18 points below the national average. Three per cent have missed work entirely due to financial stress.

Q: What are employees most stressed about financially in 2026?
Sixty-two per cent of UK workers identify the cost of living as the leading driver of financial anxiety, compared with 12 per cent citing a lack of retirement savings and eight per cent citing a lack of emergency savings. Workers over 50 are two and a half times more likely than workers under 40 to cite retirement savings as their top concern.

Q: Do employees understand their retirement benefits?
Sixty-two per cent of workers contributing to workplace retirement or savings programs lack a strong understanding of how they work. Five per cent do not understand their program at all and score 48.7 on the Index, compared with 72.3 among workers who understand it very well.

Q: What financial benefits do employees want from employers?
Fifty-nine per cent of UK workers want employer-provided resources or support for retirement, pensions, or savings. Specific topics requested include retirement or long-term savings (30 per cent), workplace pension or savings plans (29 per cent), investing (16 per cent), emergency savings (14 per cent), tax planning (14 per cent), insurance or financial protection (13 per cent), and budgeting (11 per cent).

Q: How many employees care for aging parents or adult children?
A quarter of the UK workforce provides financial support or caregiving to adult children (13 per cent), aging parents (11 per cent), or other family members (five per cent). Among workers providing support or care, 34 per cent report a negative impact on their finances, 26 per cent on their mental health, and 15 per cent on work productivity.

Q: Are employees comfortable discussing mental health with their manager?
Fifty-three per cent of UK workers feel comfortable telling their manager if they have a mental health issue, while 27 per cent would not. Workers who would not feel comfortable score 57.1 on the Index, compared with 69.6 among those who would.

Q: What stops employees from getting help for substance use?
The leading barriers include stigma or embarrassment (25 per cent), confidentiality concerns (24 per cent), and concern about having to tell someone at work (21 per cent). Twenty-seven per cent prefer to handle substance use issues on their own.

Q: What is the state of workplace mental health in the UK in 2026?
The Index score stands at 64.7 in the UK for Q2 2026, with 32 per cent of the workforce at high mental health risk, 42 per cent at moderate risk, and 26 per cent at low risk. Anxiety (55.6) and isolation (61.4) remain the two lowest sub-scores and have been the lowest since the Index launched in April 2020.

About TELUS Health

TELUS Health empowers people to live healthier lives and helps organizations create more productive, wellbeing-focused workplaces through global leadership in healthcare technology. Operating in more than 200 countries and territories, we support approximately 159 million people at every point of their physical, mental, and financial wellbeing journey.

Our integrated approach connects the entire healthcare ecosystem: comprehensive workforce wellbeing programs, compassionate and personalized preventive care, and the technology infrastructure that healthcare practitioners and payors rely on daily. This creates seamless care pathways delivering regionalized and gender-responsive support, where and when people need it most.

Through our data-driven insights and proprietary research we are reshaping healthcare with earlier intervention and culturally-attuned approaches so individuals and organizations can thrive. Follow us as we advance our mission to become the world's most trusted wellbeing company: telushealth.com.

Media Contact:
Natalie Elmitt
TELUS Health PR
natalie.elmitt@telushealth.com

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