Health and safety violations are costing British employers over £44 million per year, a new Freedom of Information (FOI) request issued to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revealed.

Experts at Breathe HR, who support over 17,000 SMEs across the UK with their HR and compliance processes, analysed HSE data on workplace health and safety violations and fines recorded in Britain between January 2021 and March 2026.

They found that British businesses collectively were fined nearly £44.1 million per year, on average, for breaching health and safety regulations between 2021 and 2025.

The findings come as The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) advises that unparalleled cost pressures are pushing businesses to the brink.

Breathe HR’s experts are warning that an unexpected Health and Safety fine could be the final nail in the coffin for struggling SMEs, who account for 99% of the UK’s business population. They’re urging businesses to audit and enhance their health and safety policies to avoid business-breaking fines and, most importantly, to protect employees.

Severe health and safety breaches on the rise

In 2025, the total value of fines issued to employers for health and safety violations reached nearly £40.9 million. This is just below the 5-year average (£44.1 million) and a slight drop from 2024, when fines totalled around £43.9 million.

While headline figures suggest firms are moving in the right direction, analysis of health and safety-related prosecutions reveals a different picture. According to the findings, the number of serious health and safety breaches resulting in prosecution charges has increased steadily over the last three years, rising from 428 in 2023 to 446 in 2024 and 496 in 2025.

Prosecution charges are brought against businesses when an investigation reveals a serious breach of health and safety regulations and is in the public interest.

In 2026 so far, 189 prosecution charges have been issued by HSE, collectively costing companies nearly £2.6 million in fines.

Breathe HR’s analysis suggests that if the pace of charges continues at this rate, total prosecution charges for 2026 will significantly surpass 2025’s figures.

The findings point to shortcomings in the current measures businesses are taking to protect the health and safety of their staff.

Construction firms were issued with the greatest number of prosecution charges last year, accounting for 38% (190) of all prosecution charges brought against firms.

The largest single fine issued in 2025 was imposed on Cambridgeshire County Council. They were fined £6 million for breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the primary piece of legislation for occupational health and safety in Great Britain. This is the highest max fine issued to a single entity in the past five years.

Phil Coxon, Managing Director at Breathe HR, said:

“Reviewing health and safety policies and risks might not be the most glamorous task on employers’ to-do lists’, but our research shows it’s not something leaders can afford to overlook. Prosecution charges for health and safety violations are rising year on year, with businesses racking up millions in fines. Businesses must do more to prevent serious health and safety failures and protect their people from harm.

“Robust health and safety initiatives are also essential for preserving the health of the business, especially in this economy. SMEs, in particular, are feeling the effects of the current harsh economic headwinds and rising operating costs. An expected fine could be enough to sink some SME ships.

“To safeguard staff and avoid hefty fines, businesses must act now to shore up their health and safety practices.”

Bharat Siyani, VP of People and Culture at Breathe HR, recommends companies take the following steps to stay compliant with health and safety regulations:

1. Appoint a competent health and safety champion. If your business operates across multiple locations, someone should be assigned to oversee health and safety at each site.

2. Review and refresh your health and safety policy. The document should outline how employees should act to keep everyone safe, what they should do in the event of an emergency, where the first-aid kits are kept, and the names of the company’s trained first-aiders and competent health and safety champion(s). The policy should be written clearly and avoid jargon so it can be easily understood by every employee.

3. Carry out regular risk assessments and put controls in place to address hazards. For example, put physical barriers in place, where needed, and ensure walkways are well-lit.

4. Track health and safety incidents and near-misses. Businesses should then review these records regularly and take steps to address any recurring issues. HR platforms with built-in health and safety features can help with this by making it easier to track incidents.

5. Implement robust employee wellbeing support. Employers have a duty of care and must do everything they reasonably can to support health and wellbeing.

6. Keep health and safety documentation (i.e. incident reports and policies) organised and easily accessible to the relevant people. Storing such information digitally can help ensure nothing gets lost and makes it easier to reference when required, for example, during an investigation.

7. Fold your health and safety systems into HR. These functions are often isolated, but when, for example, HR holds the health and safety training records, while Operations stores incident records, no one has a complete picture of what’s going on. When staff have the full context, it’s far easier to spot risks and compliance gaps and make health and safety infrastructure as effective as possible.