How is the Bradford Factor calculated?

The Bradford Factor is calculated using the formula B = S × S × D. B is the Bradford score, S is the total number of separate sickness absence spells in a set period (usually a rolling 52 weeks), and D is the total number of days absent in that period. For example, 3 spells totalling 6 days gives a Bradford score of 54 (3 × 3 × 6). 1 spell of 6 days gives a score of 6 (1 × 1 × 6). The formula deliberately weights frequent, short-term absences more heavily than one-off longer absences.

What is a high Bradford Factor score in the UK?

There is no single legal standard for what counts as a high Bradford score in the UK. Many employers use internal trigger points such as: 0 to 49 as low concern, 50 to 124 as a first review threshold, 125 to 399 as a formal review or written warning threshold, and 400+ as a serious concern that may lead to formal capability or disciplinary action. NHS trusts and large organisations often adapt these bands to reflect their staffing needs, policies and trade union agreements.

Is the Bradford Factor legal to use in the UK?

Yes, UK employers can use the Bradford Factor as part of their absence management policy, but they must apply it fairly, consistently and in line with employment law. It should never be used in isolation without context. Employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees under the Equality Act 2010, and they should usually exclude pregnancy-related sickness, disability-related absences and other protected leave from Bradford Factor calculations to reduce the risk of discrimination or unfair dismissal claims.

What Bradford Factor trigger points are used in the NHS?

NHS organisations commonly use the Bradford Factor within wider sickness absence frameworks, but specific trigger points vary between trusts. Typical NHS trigger models include thresholds for: a certain number of absence episodes in a rolling 12 months, a minimum Bradford score that prompts an informal attendance review, and higher scores that trigger formal stages of capability or absence management. Policies also emphasise occupational health support and adjustments, especially for long-term conditions, rather than relying only on the score.

What are the main problems with the Bradford Factor?

The Bradford Factor can unfairly penalise employees with chronic health conditions, disabilities or mental health issues, whose absences are often short and intermittent. If used rigidly it can encourage presenteeism, where people attend work when unwell, and create anxiety and mistrust. It can also become discriminatory if employers do not adjust the triggers for disability-related, pregnancy-related or other protected absences. Best practice is to use the Bradford score as a conversation starter alongside occupational health input, not as an automatic disciplinary tool.

Bradford Factor Calculator UK 2026

Quickly calculate Bradford Factor scores for UK employees, understand sickness absence patterns over a rolling 12 months, and apply trigger points fairly with clear, practical guidance.

Managing sickness absence in a fair and consistent way is a constant challenge for UK employers, HR teams and line managers. The Bradford Factor is one of the most widely used absence management tools in the UK, especially in sectors like the NHS, local government, retail and contact centres. This free Bradford Factor calculator helps you turn absence data into a clear score while keeping the human context, employment law and wellbeing front of mind.

The calculator uses the standard Bradford Formula (B = S × S × D) to give you a score based on the number of absence spells and the total days lost in a set period, usually a rolling 52 weeks. A handful of short sickness absences can generate a much higher Bradford score than a single longer absence, which is why many HR teams use it to spot patterns of frequent short-term absence. However, a score alone never tells the full story. This page goes further than a simple online Bradford Factor calculator: it explains typical UK trigger points, highlights common pitfalls, and offers practical steps to use the score responsibly, especially for staff covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether you are an HR manager, a small business owner or a line manager trying to handle sickness absence fairly, this tool gives you a UK-focused starting point. After assessing Bradford scores, you may also find it helpful to review your wider people decisions with tools like the Notice Period Calculator UK or the Unpaid Leave Impact Calculator UK when exploring options around changing hours, redeployment or flexible working.

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Instant Bradford Score

Enter spells and days of absence to calculate the Bradford Factor score in one click.

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Trigger Banding

See which trigger band a score falls into and what kind of management response is typically appropriate.

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Fair Use Guidance

Practical tips on applying the Bradford Factor lawfully and sensitively, without relying on it as a blunt disciplinary tool.

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NHS & Public Sector Context

Designed with common NHS Bradford Factor practices and UK public sector attendance policies in mind.

When to use a Bradford Factor calculator

Monitoring absence trends: Identify employees with frequent short-term sickness who may need support or an attendance review.
Applying absence policies: Check whether a Bradford score has reached your internal trigger points for informal or formal action.
NHS and healthcare teams: Use the calculator as part of a wider sickness framework, while balancing patient safety and staff wellbeing.
Small businesses: Bring structure and consistency to absence decisions, even without a large HR team or paid HR software.
Line manager conversations: Use the score to prepare for return-to-work meetings and wellbeing check‑ins rather than disciplinary action alone.
Policy design and review: Test how different trigger points would affect typical absence patterns in your organisation.

Calculate an Employee’s Bradford Factor Score

Use this simple Bradford Factor calculator to assess sickness absence over a rolling 12‑month period or any other timeframe your organisation uses.

Employee identifier (optional) Use initials or an employee number if you prefer not to use full names. This field is just for your reference in the results.

Number of sickness absence spells * Count each separate episode of sickness absence as one spell, even if it lasts several days. For example, one five-day absence is one spell.

Total days absent in the period * Total working days lost in the same period (for example the last 52 weeks), including weekends only if they are part of the employee’s normal working pattern.

Period length (weeks) Typical Bradford Factor calculations use a rolling 52‑week period, but you can adjust this to match your policy.

Low concern threshold (optional) The score at which you want to start monitoring absence more closely (for example 50 or 75).

Formal review threshold (optional) The score at which you might normally hold a formal attendance review meeting (for example 150, 200 or 250).

Serious concern threshold (optional) Higher scores here can indicate serious cause for concern, which may trigger a capability review under your sickness policy.

Sector / context This helps the tool tailor commentary and example trigger points in the results.

Absence types to exclude from score (for information only) These selections do not change the score directly, but they are shown in the commentary so you can consider legal and ethical adjustments.

Your Bradford Factor Score & Suggested Next Steps

Review the score, risk banding and context before deciding any actions. Use this as one part of a balanced absence management approach.

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Bradford Factor Score

Calculated using S × S × D over the selected period

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Risk Band

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Band description will appear here after calculation.

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Absence Summary

Spells: 0

Days absent: 0

Period: 52 weeks

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Trigger Points

Low concern: –

Formal review: –

Serious concern: –

Recommended next steps

Quick reference: sample Bradford Factor scores

These example scores show how the Bradford Factor heavily weights frequent short-term absences compared with fewer, longer absences.

Spells (S)	Total days (D)	Bradford score (B = S × S × D)	Comment
1	10	10	One longer absence. Low Bradford score, even though total days are high.
3	6	54	Several short absences. Often an early trigger for a conversation in UK policies.
4	12	192	Frequent short spells. Likely to cross a formal review trigger in many UK organisations.
6	8	288	Pattern of repeated short-term absence. Generally a serious concern requiring a structured response.
8	10	640	Very high Bradford score. Often triggers intensive review and occupational health involvement.

Important: A Bradford Factor score is a prompt to ask “what is going on?” not a decision on its own. Always read the score alongside the person’s role, medical context, disability status, workload, management history and any reasonable adjustments already agreed. For complex situations you may also want to review tools like the Sick Pay Calculator UK when considering pay, or the Notice Period Calculator UK before making contractual decisions.

How the Bradford Factor calculator works

This calculator follows the standard Bradford Formula and reflects typical UK HR practice in 2026. It is suitable for use in SMEs, larger companies and NHS or public sector teams that want a clear, structured view of sickness absence patterns.

Collect absence data for a set period

First, decide on your assessment window, often a rolling 12‑month period (52 weeks). Count how many separate spells of sickness absence occurred in that period, and how many working days were lost in total. For example, three separate absences lasting 1 day, 2 days and 3 days would be S = 3 and D = 6. Use data from your HR system or absence records to make sure you capture all episodes.

Apply the Bradford Formula B = S × S × D

Once you know S and D, the calculator applies the Bradford Formula: B = S × S × D. Squaring the number of spells means frequent short-term absence scores far higher than the same number of days taken as one longer spell. For example, 1 spell of 10 days gives B = 10, while 5 spells totalling the same 10 days gives B = 250. The tool displays the score instantly, along with a short interpretation.

Compare the score to your trigger points

You can enter your own low, medium and high trigger thresholds so the calculator can classify the score into a band. Many UK organisations use bands such as 0–49 (monitor), 50–124 (informal review), 125–399 (formal stage) and 400+ (serious concern). The tool shows where the employee falls relative to your chosen thresholds and suggests proportionate actions, such as return‑to‑work interviews or occupational health referrals.

Overlay legal and wellbeing considerations

The Bradford Factor should never be applied mechanically. Use the “absence types to exclude” field as a prompt to think about pregnancy-related sickness, disability-related absence, planned treatment or other situations that might need adjustment. If scores are driven by health conditions, you may need to seek occupational health advice and consider reasonable adjustments instead of disciplinary action. For broader context around rights, see the Employment Rights tools hub.

Good practice tip: Many UK employers treat Bradford scores as one part of a wider attendance and wellbeing strategy, alongside supportive conversations, mental health support and flexible working options. Scores can be a helpful early warning signal, but decisions should always be grounded in fair process and up‑to‑date HR policies.

Example: two employees with the same days off, different Bradford scores

Employee A – few long absences

Assessment period: last 52 weeks
Sickness pattern: 2 spells
Total days absent: 10 days
Bradford score: B = 2 × 2 × 10 = 40

Employee A was off once for 3 days with flu and once for 7 days following a minor operation. Their Bradford score is 40, which in many UK policies would sit below the first formal trigger threshold. The main focus here should be on recovery, reasonable adjustments and monitoring, not disciplinary action.

Employee B – frequent short‑term absences

Assessment period: last 52 weeks
Sickness pattern: 5 spells
Total days absent: 10 days
Bradford score: B = 5 × 5 × 10 = 250

Employee B has the same total days absent (10) but spread across 5 separate spells of 2 days each. Their Bradford score is 250, which typically exceeds formal review triggers in many UK absence policies. This pattern suggests either recurring minor illnesses, possible underlying issues, or attendance problems.

How an HR team might respond: rather than jumping straight to disciplinary action, many UK employers would arrange a structured attendance review meeting, explore underlying causes (for example workload, mental health, caring responsibilities) and consider signposting to support. If sickness absence is linked to a disability or long‑term condition, formal action might be paused while reasonable adjustments are explored.

Bradford Factor calculator UK FAQs

How do I calculate the Bradford Factor manually?

The Bradford Factor formula is:

B = S × S × D

B = Bradford score
S = number of sickness absence spells in the period
D = total number of days absent in the same period

To calculate manually, choose a time frame (usually a rolling 12 months), count the number of separate absence episodes, add up all the working days lost, then square the number of spells and multiply by the total days absent. This calculator automates all of that and adds risk banding, recommended next steps and commentary so you can focus on the conversation rather than the maths.

What is an acceptable Bradford Factor score?

There is no universal “acceptable” Bradford score in UK law. Each employer sets their own trigger points in their sickness policy, often in consultation with trade unions or staff representatives. A common pattern looks like this:

0–49: Low concern – monitor informally and discuss during regular 1‑to‑1s
50–124: Early trigger – consider an informal attendance or wellbeing review
125–399: Formal trigger – structured review, documented action plan and possible warnings
400+: Serious concern – capability process and occupational health involvement

However, these bands must be applied with judgement. For example, you may treat disability-related, pregnancy-related or post‑surgery absences differently, even when scores are high. Other FastJobs tools such as the Sick Pay Calculator UK and the Holiday Entitlement Calculator UK can support fair, policy‑aligned decisions around pay and leave.

Do NHS and UK public sector employers use the Bradford Factor?

Many NHS trusts, councils and public sector organisations use the Bradford Factor or a similar scoring system as part of their sickness absence management framework. It is usually combined with:

Set trigger points for informal and formal sickness reviews
Return‑to‑work interviews after each absence spell
Occupational health referrals for complex or repeated issues
Supportive measures such as adjustments, phased returns or alternative duties

NHS and public sector policies also emphasise fairness and legal compliance. Scores relating to disability, pregnancy or long‑term conditions are often considered differently, and managers are expected to use judgement rather than applying the score mechanically.

Can the Bradford Factor be unfair or discriminatory?

Used badly, the Bradford Factor can create risk. Because the formula penalises frequent short absences, it can disproportionately affect people with fluctuating conditions such as autoimmune disorders, mental health issues or some disabilities. If employers do not adjust their approach for disability-related absences, there is a real risk of breaching the Equality Act 2010.

Good practice is to:

Exclude, adjust or separately review pregnancy-related and disability-related absences
Look at patterns and underlying causes, not just the score alone
Use occupational health advice where health conditions are involved
Ensure managers are trained to have supportive conversations, not just trigger formal action

If a high Bradford score is part of a wider dispute or potential dismissal, it is wise to cross‑check with your organisation’s policies and, where necessary, seek specialist HR or legal advice.

How does the Bradford Factor fit with other UK HR tools?

The Bradford Factor focuses purely on sickness absence patterns and does not consider performance, workload, pay or external pressures such as cost of living. For a more rounded view of an employee’s situation, you can combine this tool with others on FastJobs UK. For example:

Use the Real Salary vs Cost of Living Calculator to understand financial pressures.
Use the Salary Increase Calculator UK when considering whether pay progression could support retention and engagement.
Use the Redundancy Pay Calculator UK and related employment rights tools if you are exploring restructuring or role changes.

Seen in context alongside these tools, the Bradford Factor becomes one helpful data point in wider workforce planning, not the only metric that matters.

Data sources & calculation accuracy

This Bradford Factor calculator follows the standard, widely used formula B = S × S × D and reflects typical UK HR practice in 2026. It is not tied to a specific employer policy, sector agreement or union framework, so you can adapt the trigger points and interpretation to match your own procedures.

Core Bradford Factor formula

Formula: B = S × S × D, where S is the number of sickness spells and D is the total days absent over a chosen period (commonly a rolling 52 weeks).
Purpose: To weight frequent short-term absences more heavily than fewer long absences.
Period flexibility: The tool supports any period length in weeks so you can mirror your policy.

The formula is consistent with guidance used by UK HR providers and absence management tools across sectors, including healthcare, local government and private employers.

Trigger points and UK practice

Typical UK trigger ranges informed by HR guidance, case law commentary and public sector policies.
Common banding: low concern, informal review, formal review and serious concern, with example ranges such as 50, 200 and 400.
Emphasis on absence being reviewed in context, not used as an automatic reason for disciplinary action.
Specific reminders to consider the Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments and pregnancy-related sickness.

These patterns are based on mainstream UK HR practice, but your organisation’s policy may use different exact numbers, especially in the NHS and large multi‑site employers.

Limitations of this calculator

Does not automatically separate disability-related, pregnancy-related or statutory leave – you must interpret scores in that context.
Does not apply your internal policy rules or any collective agreements automatically.
Does not account for part‑time patterns, rota complexity or long-term phased returns to work.
Does not provide legal advice or replace specialist HR or occupational health guidance.

Use this tool as an indicative guide to support consistent discussions, not as a sole basis for decisions on discipline, capability or dismissal.

Disclaimer: This Bradford Factor calculator is provided for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute legal, HR or medical advice. FastJobs UK is not responsible for how individual scores are interpreted or used. Always cross‑check your decisions against your own sickness absence policy, NHS or sector guidance, and current UK employment law.

Privacy, data use and trust

This Bradford Factor calculator has been designed to be privacy‑friendly for both employers and employees. You can use it to explore absence scenarios without revealing personally identifiable information.

Your data, your control

No login, registration or personal account is required to use the tool.
The “employee identifier” field is for your own reference only and can be anonymised.
We do not ask for dates of birth, NI numbers, contact details or full health information.
Closing or refreshing the page clears any data you have entered.

Technical handling

Calculations are performed using lightweight requests optimised for speed and reliability.
No dedicated cookies are set by this calculator, although general site analytics may still apply.
We do not build personal profiles based on calculator usage.
Aggregated, anonymous usage data may be reviewed to improve UK HR tools on FastJobs.

If you are using this calculator as part of a formal HR process, ensure any information you record or export is stored and shared in line with your organisation’s data protection policy and UK GDPR obligations.