Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Strategy. Read the original article for full details.
Mental wellbeing improves but burnout risks remain, says MIMHC
Mental wellbeing across the UK mortgage industry has improved significantly over the past 12 months, but persistent problems around working hours, sleep, workplace pressures and access to visible employer support mean there is no room for complacency. That is the central finding of the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) Mental Health & Wellbeing Survey 2026, its largest study to date, which gathered responses from 536 people across the mortgage sector, up from around 300 in 2025.
Genuine cause for optimism
Some 53% of respondents now describe their overall mental wellbeing as good or excellent, up from approximately 41% in 2025. Those describing their wellbeing as poor or of concern have fallen from around 22% to 15%.
However, the wider findings reveal a more complicated picture. Almost half of respondents still work more than 45 hours a week, though this has improved from around 59% in 2025 to 49%. Nearly 9% continue to report working more than 60 hours.
Sleep and stress remain warning signs
Sleep remains one of the clearest concerns. Around 21% get eight hours' sleep on none of the working days in a typical week, while approximately 63% achieve that level on no more than three working days — virtually unchanged year-on-year.
While 29% say their wellbeing has improved over the previous 12 months, almost half say it has stayed the same and 24% believe it has worsened.
Fading visibility of employer support
One of the most striking findings is a reduction in the visibility of workplace wellbeing support. Only 53% of respondents say their company participates in a mental health or wellbeing initiative or strategy, down from 70% in 2025. Meanwhile, 30% say their employer does not and 17% do not know.
The economic environment is now the largest defined source of workplace stress, cited by 30% of respondents. But anonymous responses also repeatedly flagged workload, targets, staffing shortages, internal systems, management change, and lender and solicitor service, suggesting everyday operational friction contributes significantly to stress.
'A really important question'
MIMHC co-founder Jason Berry said there was "a huge amount to be encouraged by" in this year's results, calling the rise in good or excellent wellbeing "real progress". However, he noted that almost half of respondents still work more than 45 hours a week, sleep has barely improved, almost three quarters have seen no improvement or feel their wellbeing has worsened, and fewer people recognise meaningful wellbeing provision from their employer.
"Are we actually working in a healthier way, or have people simply become better at coping with the pressure?" he asked, adding that the next phase must be about turning awareness into "practical, visible and measurable action".
For UK letting agents and inventory clerks, the findings are a timely reminder that operational pressures such as long hours, targets and service friction remain key drivers of poor mental health across the property and mortgage sectors.
Source: Mortgage Strategy