Workers in Newport call in sick throughout the winter more than anywhere else in the UK, according to research.

HSS Hire commissioned the study of 250 South Wales workers, who each call in sick an average of five and a half days during the cold wintery months.

In comparison, Yorkshire folk and Tyneside workers take off an average of four and a half days while Merseyside workers take off the least number of days, only four days per winter.

What’s more, those who do go into work in South Wales are late at least twice a month, and when they are, they are late by more than 15 minutes – more than any other region in the UK.

Those who are late cite their children as the reason, with four in 10 blaming their offspring for oversleeping, the highest percentage in the country, while a further four in 10 said the roads are so icy they have to take a slower route.

Just under half of those polled in South Wales stated that they don’t want to leave the house in the cold or wet weather, the biggest cause for calling in sick, followed by one in four physically not being able to get to work due to the wintery weather conditions.

Productivity also takes a major downturn during the winter with one in four revealing that their office is too cold to work in, a major de-motivational factor.

To keep warm in the workplace, 47 per cent ask for the heating to be turned up, while nearly half of workers sit at their desk with the coat on.

HSS Hire Newport branch manager Rhys Thompson said: “We all a good moan about the weather and at this time of year it’s the number one excuse for calling in sick for the people of South Wales.

“There’s nothing worse than having to spend your working day freezing cold and miserable, and the findings show that in these conditions our productivity takes a hit. At the very least, we’ve got to make sure workplaces are warm and dry so that workers don’t dread coming into work during the winter!”

Top 10 things South Wales workers do to keep warm at work: 1. Asked for the heating to be turned up (47 per cent); 2. Sat at my desk with a coat on (40 per cent); 3. Drink more tea and coffee than usual (37 per cent); 4. Take a hot water bottle to work (30 per cent); 5. Move the desks closer to the heater (28 per cent); 6. Sit in the car to warm up at lunch (24 per cent); 7. Take a portable heater to work (18 per cent); 8. Wear gloves and a scarf at work (18 per cent); 9. Wear a onesie to work (five per cent); 10. Go to a local café to warm up (five per cent).