Average number of sick days taken

You asked

Please can you assist me in order to find out the average number of sick days per person per year in the UK for 2017?

We said

Thank you for your freedom of information query asking for the average number of sick days per person per year in the UK for 2017.

Information on the number of days lost through sickness absence between 1993 and 2016 can be found in the following link;

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/sicknessabsenceinthelabourmarket

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with the information for 2017 as this is intended for future publication. S.22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act applies whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. This exemption is subject to a public interest test. Whilst we recognise the desirability of information being freely available, we also acknowledge that public authorities must have the freedom to be able to determine their own publication timetables. This allows them to deal with the necessary preparation, administration, and context of publication. Furthermore, public interest is best served through the public having confidence that the information published by ONS is accurate and final. Release on an ad-hoc basis would not achieve this aim and will cause unnecessary confusion if they were to be misrepresented. In this case, exempting the information outweighs the public interest in disclosure.