Absence management for UK employers

Absence Management Software
for UK Employers

Track every absence, spot patterns early, and take action before problems escalate. Leavely gives HR managers the tools to measure, manage, and reduce employee absence across the organisation.

Free 14-day trial. No credit card required. £8/user/month after.

The real cost of unmanaged absence

Absence costs UK employers billions every year. Most of the impact comes from short-term, frequent absences that go untracked until they become a serious problem.

£695

Average cost of absence per employee per year (UK)

7.8 days

Average sick days per employee per year (UK)

65%

Percentage of absence that is short-term

Source: CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work survey 2025

Tools to track, measure, and reduce absence

Every feature included at £8 per user per month. No tiers, no add-on charges.

Bradford Factor monitoring

Automatically calculated for every employee. See scores on the dashboard, set trigger thresholds, and identify patterns of short-term absence before they become a problem.

Trigger point alerts

Set custom thresholds for Bradford Factor scores, number of absences, or total days off. Managers receive automatic notifications when an employee hits a trigger point.

Return-to-work interviews

Leavely prompts managers to complete a return-to-work interview when an employee comes back from sick leave. Every record is stored and auditable.

Absence trend reports

See absence patterns across your organisation. Filter by department, team, or individual. Export reports for board meetings, HR reviews, or occupational health referrals.

Fit note tracking

Record fit note details, expiry dates, and any workplace adjustments recommended by the GP. Never lose track of when a fit note needs renewing.

Department-level visibility

HR managers see the whole organisation. Line managers see only their direct reports. Employees see only their own records. Role-based access keeps data secure.

How Leavely helps HR managers reduce absence

1

Record every absence consistently

When an employee calls in sick, record it in Leavely. The reason, dates, and any supporting documentation are stored against their profile. No more sticky notes or forgotten emails.

2

Spot patterns with the Bradford Factor

Leavely calculates the Bradford Factor automatically. Frequent short-term absences score higher than a single long absence, helping you identify employees who may need support or a formal conversation.

3

Act on trigger points

Set thresholds that align with your absence policy. When an employee crosses a threshold, their manager is notified. This ensures a consistent, fair approach across the whole organisation.

4

Document everything

Return-to-work interviews, fit notes, and management actions are all recorded in Leavely. If a situation ever reaches a disciplinary or tribunal, you have a complete, timestamped record.

Why choose Leavely for absence management?

Purpose-built, not bolted on

Many HR platforms treat absence tracking as an afterthought. Leavely is built around leave and absence management from the ground up, so every feature is designed with this workflow in mind.

Affordable for mid-size teams

£8 per user per month with everything included. Enterprise tools like Personio or HiBob charge 3x to 5x more. Leavely gives you the absence management tools you need without the enterprise price tag.

No sales calls, no implementation

Sign up, add your team, and start using Leavely in minutes. There is no demo requirement, no onboarding project, and no minimum contract length.

UK compliance built in

Statutory sick pay thresholds, fit note tracking, Bradford Factor calculations, and return-to-work interviews are all included and configured for UK employment law.

Start managing absence properly

Free 14-day trial. No credit card. No sales calls. Set up in 2 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Bradford Factor and how does Leavely calculate it?
The Bradford Factor is a formula used to measure the impact of short-term absence. It is calculated as S x S x D, where S is the number of separate absence spells and D is the total number of days absent. Leavely calculates this automatically for every employee based on their recorded sick leave and updates the score in real time.
Can Leavely send alerts when an employee hits an absence trigger point?
Yes. You can set custom trigger points based on Bradford Factor scores, number of absences, or total days absent. When an employee reaches a threshold, their manager is notified automatically so they can take appropriate action.
Does Leavely support return-to-work interviews?
Yes. When an employee returns from sick leave, Leavely prompts the manager to complete a return-to-work interview. The record is stored against the employee profile as part of their absence history, creating a documented audit trail.
How much does absence management software cost?
Leavely costs £8 per user per month with all features included. There are no tiers, no setup fees, and no annual contracts. The 14-day free trial includes everything with no credit card required.