Three in 10 workers in Southern England say they feel “constantly on-edge” because of a stressful job, with aggressive management styles the chief culprit, according to new figures.

A survey of 1,000 employees released today by Crunch Accounting illustrates the problem of stress across the UK.

Asked what factors would cause them to leave their job, work-related pressure was cited by 25% of southerners, followed by 22% of people in the North and Midlands.

But the problem is widespread and effects different regions in different ways, according to the research.

Half of respondents in the North and the Midlands admitted to feeling ‘Sunday night dread’, while 38% of Northerners confessed to feeling permanently stressed.

Left unchecked, stress can contribute to a range of mental and physical illnesses, including depression, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

It can also be a major headache for employers. According to the Health and Safety Executive the average person suffering from a stress-related illness takes 24 days off sick a year, compared to the national average of just seven.

Stress is also affecting self-esteem, the Crunch data suggests. Some 27% of people in the South said they lacked the confidence to get another job, despite problems at work.

The same was true for 24% of respondents in the Midlands and the North.

Helen Monk, people manager at Crunch, said: “Although a few regional trends have emerged from our survey, it’s concerning to see such a universally consistent picture of stress and anxiety caused by workplace issues.

“Perhaps not surprisingly, this issue seems to be affecting confidence levels and damaging self-esteem. It’s fair to say many of these people would be better off leaving for pastures new, whether that’s a different role, starting up on their own as a sole trader, or founding a limited company.”

Crunch interviewed 1,000 employees across England between 5 and 8 December 2016.