Thousands of workplace injuries in Suffolk going unreported

Why it matters: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates suggest there were 57,000 non-fatal workplace injuries in the East of England in 2024–25. Yet RIDDOR — the official reporting system employers are legally required to use — recorded only around 1,600 incidents across Suffolk and around 100 in Ipswich. Ellisons Solicitors warns that the gap means many injured workers are missing out on rehabilitation and support.

The details: RIDDOR only captures more serious incidents that employers are legally required to report, meaning the full scale of workplace injuries is not reflected in official figures. Separately, Government Compensation Recovery Unit data shows that Employers Liability claims have nearly halved — falling from 89,461 in 2018–19 to 43,926 in 2024–25 — even as HSE regional estimates suggest accident numbers have remained broadly steady.

What they're saying: Stevan Stratton, partner and head of injury services at Ellisons, said: "The numbers do not match what we would expect to see. Injuries are still happening in large volumes, but employer reporting is very low, and fewer people are coming forward for help. As a result, many injured workers miss out on early rehabilitation and the support they need. This means that more people remain unable to return to the workforce for longer and, sometimes, indefinitely as a result of not getting the rehabilitative support they need."

He added: "Accident levels remain high, but far fewer cases are being reported and far fewer people are claiming. Some of this may be due to a lack of awareness or confidence, but the outcome is the same. People are not getting treatment, adjustments in the workplace or fair redress."

The bigger picture: Long-term HSE data shows that non-fatal workplace injuries in the East of England have fallen significantly over two decades — from close to 100,000 a year in the early 2000s to 57,000 today. Stratton acknowledged the progress, but said under-reporting remains a concern.

On the legal obligation for employers, he said: "Accurate reporting is not only a legal requirement, but it is also one of the most effective ways of preventing repeat incidents and reducing future claims. It is employers' insurers who pay out damages in successful claims, and every employer should be wanting to help their employee get the support they need following an accident at work, so that they can return to work as quickly as possible."

The bottom line: Despite real long-term progress in reducing workplace injuries, Ellisons says under-reporting means thousands of workers across Suffolk may be suffering in silence — missing out on the rehabilitation and redress they are entitled to.

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