One in ten UK workers has used annual leave to manage financial stress, personal administration, or burnout rather than to rest, according to research commissioned by moneyappi.
The study found that 12% had delayed booking leave because they could not afford to do anything during the time away from work. Together, the findings suggest that financial pressure is reducing both the availability and restorative value of employee downtime.
Clariti surveyed 2,002 nationally representative UK adults during June. The supplied methodology does not provide the precise fieldwork dates, full questionnaire wording, or weighting information.
More than one in five respondents, 22%, said they had skipped lunch, coffee, or other food at work to save money. A further 21% had worked while unwell because they could not afford to take time off, while 20% had avoided workplace social events because of their cost.
Sixteen per cent had concealed money worries from managers or colleagues, and 14% had looked for another job primarily because they needed more financial breathing room. Nine per cent had avoided commuting because of the cost, while 7% had requested a hardship loan or salary advance.
The pressure was particularly visible among younger adults. Among those aged 18 to 24, 32% had skipped food or drink at work, while 16% had avoided commuting because of the expense.
Among 25- to 34-year-olds, 28% had skipped food or drink, 23% had worked while unwell, and 22% had looked for another job. One fifth had delayed annual leave, while 13% had requested a hardship loan or salary advance.
Financial strain was not confined to early-career workers. Twenty-three per cent of 35- to 44-year-olds had hidden money worries, while 24% of respondents aged 45 to 54 had worked while unwell and the same proportion had avoided social events.
Ray Law, founder of moneyappi, said: “Annual leave is supposed to be when people recover, and instead we’re seeing people use it to deal with the very thing they need to recover from. That’s a strong sign of how much financial stress builds up before anyone notices or asks for help. By the time someone requests a hardship loan, they’ve often already been skipping meals, working through illness, or using their holiday to firefight money problems for months. Prevention is always better than cure. Giving people the tools and confidence to understand their financial health early on doesn’t just ease money worries – it protects the time and energy they need for everything else in life.”
Annual leave is usually assessed through the number of days an employee takes, but the findings raise a separate question about how that time is being used. A person may be absent from work while remaining occupied by debt, household administration, additional paid work, or recovery from prolonged stress.
Employees who return without having recovered may experience the same fatigue and concentration problems that leave policies are intended to reduce. Repeated periods of ineffective rest can also contribute to absence, disengagement, and longer-term health problems.
The burnout risks associated with an always-on working culture are often linked to workload and organisational expectations. Financial pressure can produce a similar inability to switch off even where an employer respects boundaries and working hours.
The prevalence of presenteeism is particularly significant. Working while ill can delay recovery, reduce productivity, and spread infection, yet employees may believe that absence will reduce pay, weaken their position, or create costs they cannot absorb.
Money worries can also influence job mobility. An employee seeking higher pay may leave an otherwise suitable role because immediate household pressure outweighs longer-term career considerations.
Employers can therefore lose experienced people without recognising that financial strain was the underlying cause. Exit interviews may record salary as the reason, while the wider pattern of debt, commuting costs, rent, childcare, or household bills remains hidden.
Hardship loans, salary advances, financial education tools, and employee assistance programmes can provide support, but low usage does not necessarily indicate low need. The research found that far more people had changed everyday behaviour than had requested formal assistance.
Confidentiality is central to whether those services are used. Employees may avoid employer-provided support if they believe managers will learn about their debts or personal circumstances.
Clear privacy arrangements, independent access where possible, and communication that avoids stigma can increase confidence. Managers should not be expected to act as financial advisers, but they need to recognise warning signs, understand available support, and respond appropriately to changes in absence or performance.
Pay remains the most direct financial wellbeing issue, although organisations may have limited scope to provide substantial increases. Predictable scheduling, transparent progression, fair expense policies, accessible benefits, and affordable commuting arrangements can still reduce uncertainty.
The research indicates that financial strain often becomes visible only after employees have already sacrificed food, rest, health, or workplace relationships. Measuring annual leave solely as an entitlement balance risks overlooking whether employees are receiving the recovery time on which sustainable performance depends.
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