Most Stressful Jobs UK & Least Stressful Jobs: The 2026 Guide
Unless you’re one of the lucky few who work in the UK’s cat cafes, you’ve likely experienced stress at work.
Research by PerkBox suggests 79% of employed British adults ‘commonly’ experience work-related stress. That makes it the single biggest source of stress in our lives – above family, financial and relationship stress.1 2 Yikes!
And if you thought the recent rise in home-working and flexi-work would fuel lavender-scented-bath style relaxation across the nation, you’d be wrong my friend. Work-related stress is on the rise.
Compared to 2018, the number of people who admit suffering work-related stress is up an eye-watering 20%.3 On the flip side, the number of lucky folks claiming to ‘never’ experience work-related stress is down to just 1%.4 Not only is that a tragedy for the country’s workers, it’s also bad news for businesses.
According to the Health and Safety Executive’s Labour Force Survey, stress was responsible for 49 per cent of all working days lost in 2016/2017.5 A figure that’s risen by 5% in recent years.6 All-in, worker’s stress, depression and anxiety is thought to cost the UK economy around £30 billion per year.
But not all jobs are created equal! So we’re here to ask which jobs are driving the trend. In this post, we reveal the 3 most and least stressful jobs in the UK.
Top 3 most stressful jobs in the UK
The main causes of work-related stress are:
- Unrealistic workload
- Being landed with too much responsibility
- Not getting the right managerial support
- Being paid a pittance for all of the above.7
It will come as no surprise then that the most stressful jobs in the UK are concentrated in the public sector. According to PerkBox, as many as 92% of Local and national Government workers say they ‘commonly’ experience work-related stress.8
But clearly some public sector jobs are less tolerable than others. Let’s take a look a look at the most stressful 3.
1. Welfare professional
Maintaining a lengthy streak of many years at the top of the list it’s welfare professionals. We’re talking family caseworkers, adoption counsellors, youth workers, rehabilitation officers and more.
Welfare professionals work in industries as diverse as health, education, public admin and defence and earn a very average salary of £32,000.
Perhaps it’s the responsibility and long hours, or a symptom of understaffing and underfunding in the sector. Whatever the cause, welfare is stressful work.9
Welfare professionals report 4,990 cases or work-related stress, depression and anxiety per 100,000. That's 3-5 X the UK average of 1,170-1880 (men vs women)
2. Healthcare professional
If you’ve ever been stuck in A&E on a particularly rowdy weekend, you’ll understand the plight of those in our 2nd most stressed occupation category.
Reports suggest that 84% of healthcare professionals experience high levels of stress.10 But the situation is particularly bad for nurses and midwives, who report absence due to work-related stress at a rate of 3,090 per 100,000.
Research from The Nursing and Midwifery Council and others cites low pay, long hours and chronic staff shortages as the main drivers of poor mental health in these professions.11 So, no surprises there!
But, even worse, NHS workers are more likely to suffer adverse effects from overwork than workers in other sectors. A problem that costs the UK government between £1,794 — 2,174 per employee per year.12
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3. Teacher
As the recent spate of pandemic-related home-schooling taught us, teaching is a tough gig. And it’s not just time poor, ill-equipped parents who struggle, 83% of those who work in education report suffering from work-related stress.13
According to the National Education Union, two thirds of educational authorities saw an increase in teachers taking stress-related sick leave between 2008 and 2012.14 Plus, a recent survey of health and safety professionals working in education found that 90% rated stress as a top safety concern.15
High workload, long hours, poor pupil behaviour, target and assessment pressures and management bullying rank among the main causes of teacher stress.
So, the next time you buy your kid’s teacher an end of year gift, you might want to skip the chocolate and offer up a weekend spa package instead.
Top 3 least stressful jobs in the UK
In true British style, there are few studies examining the least stressful jobs in the UK. So to get the facts, we’ve turned to recruitment business Glassdoor. In their report, ’25 Best Jobs in the UK for 2020′, they rank the country’s top jobs based on pay (median annual base salary), number of job openings and job satisfaction score.
Of course this method takes ‘Customer Service Assistant’ in a cat cafe out of the race…
… along with many other great jobs with low to average pay (looking at you archaeologist) and those with few advertised jobs. But nothing is ever perfect, so let’s take a look at what they’ve got.
1. Enterprise architect
Topping the charts at no.1 are enterprise architects. These cheery folks make sure businesses use the right technology systems architecture to achieve their goals. So they have a high level of responsibility and accountability at work.
Enterprise architects report an average job satisfaction rating of 3.9/5, which is lower than some of Glassdoor’s list, e.g. data scientists (4.2/5) and customer success managers (4.5/5). But it seems they’re happy to deal with the lows for the very respectable average salary of just over £75,000 per year.
2. Product manager
Product managers steam in to take 2nd place with an average annual salary of £56,000 and a job satisfaction rating of 3.9/5.
Many of the top jobs on Glassdoor’s list are at managerial level.16 And although managers make up a significant portion of the ‘professionals’ the HSE says are the most highly stressed, certain groups seem to escape the pain. Here’s what we think is going on…
Studies suggest that people at certain career levels are better able to choose how they spend their working time.17 They have more control over the tasks they take on and are better paid for the privilege.
According to the science of workplace wellbeing, increased autonomy and reduced financial stress push managers (and especially product managers) up to the top of the list.
3. Operations manager
Coming in at number 3 is another high-level and well-paid managerial role. Operations managers earn an average £55,590 per year and reported a job satisfaction score of 4/5.
With a varied list of responsibilities that cover people, budgets, operations, project delivery and strategy, and a high level of autonomy, it’s not surprising that operations managers are feeling chuffed.
Low Stress Jobs in the UK: What Makes a Job Low Stress?
While we’ve explored the most stressful jobs above, many people are actively searching for low stress jobs in the UK, and for good reason. Chronic workplace stress contributes to burnout, absenteeism, and long-term health problems.
Research suggests that the key factors that make a job low stress include:
- High autonomy: The freedom to decide how and when you complete your work
- Reasonable workload: Expectations that match the hours and resources available
- Good management: Supportive leaders who communicate clearly and respect boundaries
- Fair compensation: Feeling adequately rewarded reduces financial stress
- Meaningful work: Connecting daily tasks to a purpose you care about
If you’re looking for low stress jobs that pay well in the UK, roles in technology (data science, UX design), skilled trades, and certain management positions consistently rank highly for job satisfaction with manageable stress levels.
Least Stressful Jobs: 2026 UK Rankings
Based on the latest data from job satisfaction surveys and HSE stress statistics, some of the least stressful jobs in the UK for 2026 include:
- Data Scientist: High pay (£45,000–£80,000), high autonomy, and growing demand make this one of the least stressful well-paid careers.
- Librarian: Structured work environment with low interpersonal conflict and predictable hours.
- Technical Writer: Remote-friendly, intellectually stimulating, and with clear deliverables.
- Occupational Therapist: Meaningful work with manageable caseloads in many settings.
- Software Developer: High demand means better negotiating power for working conditions and flexibility.
Of course, stress is highly individual. What feels manageable for one person may overwhelm another. That’s why building resilience skills matters regardless of your job title. Our wellbeing workshops help employees in any role develop practical strategies for managing stress effectively.
How to Manage Stress Whatever Your Job
Whether you’re in one of the most stressful jobs in the UK or searching for something calmer, the science of workplace wellbeing offers evidence-based strategies that work:
- Build micro-recovery habits: Short breathing exercises, brief walks, or 2-minute mindfulness pauses between tasks can significantly reduce cumulative stress.
- Strengthen social connections: Research consistently shows that workplace relationships are a powerful buffer against stress.
- Set clear boundaries: Protecting your non-work time and learning to say no to unreasonable demands is a skill, not a weakness.
- Seek professional development: Investing in stress management and resilience training gives you practical tools to handle pressure more effectively.
Jodie Manners
Content Specialist
Get in touch
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References
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- Mind assesses research linking work with stress [Internet]. Mind.org.uk. [cited 2020 Nov 3]. Available from: https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/work-is-biggest-cause-of-stress-in-peoples-lives/#:~:text=Research%20commissioned%20by%20Mind%20has,health%20(17%20per%20cent).
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2020 [Internet]. Health and Safety Executive; 2020. Available from: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- Farmer P, Stevenson D. Thriving at Work: The Independent Review of Mental Health and Employers [Internet]. Her Majesty's Government; 2017. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658145/thriving-at-work-stevenson-farmer-review.pdf
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2020 [Internet]. Health and Safety Executive; 2020. Available from: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- Mitchell G. Exclusive: Working conditions contributing to poor nurse wellbeing [Internet]. Nursing Times. 2020 [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/exclusive-working-conditions-contributing-to-poor-nurse-wellbeing-15-07-2020/
- Mental health and employers: The case for investment [Internet]. Monitor Deloitte; 2017. Available from: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Documents/public-sector/deloitte-uk-mental-health-employers-monitor-deloitte-oct-2017.pdf
- The 2020 UK workplace stress survey [Internet]. Perkbox. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/library/2020-workplace-stress-survey
- Tackling stress [Internet]. NEU. [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://neu.org.uk/advice/tackling-stress
- Focus on health and safety: TUC biennial survey of safety representatives 2018 [Internet]. TUC; 2018. Available from: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/Safety%20Reps%20report%202018.pdf
- Best Jobs in UK [Internet]. Glassdoor. 2020 [cited 2020 Nov 5]. Available from: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/List/Best-Jobs-in-UK-LST_KQ0,15.htm
- Moss J. Unlocking Happiness at Work: How a Data-driven Happiness Strategy Fuels Purpose, Passion and Performance. Kogan Page Publishers; 2016.
