To tell future employer I had time off for mental health reasons last year?

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I have received a job offer, and I'm terrified it's going to get withdrawn after my future employer sees my attendance records in a reference. I've been asked to fill out forms before starting saying whether I have any health conditions (including mental health), and whether I have a disability under the Equalities Act.

I had time off last year due to anxiety. I'm now on medication and feel a lot stronger.

Please can someone advise me on what is best to do.

Tell the truth obviously

Otherwise you’ll be lying to your employer before you’ve even started

you have the job. They can’t sack you on the basis of you revealing this

Added to which, everyone and their dog has mental health issues these days

Do you have a disability under the Equalities Act?

Presumably you were asked that in the application form?

Just be open. You had a period of ill health, which was anxiety, which was treated successfully and you're now better.

I would say you had some time off for anxiety. If they withdraw their offer you don't want to work for them. I have employed hundreds of people in my career and it wouldn't put me off a suitable person. You could have been bereaved, had relationship issues or suffered abuse. All of these things can cause anxiety. It's not that unusual.

As the anxiety has bad enough to need time off work and has lasted more than a year, I think that means it would fall under being a disability

No, employers aren't allowed to ask about health until after an offer has been made (I think)

You can’t ask this on application forms!

I was always going to be honest, but wasn't sure whether to specifically say I had time off last year (it doesn't ask this).

Why would a reference include this information?

As the new employer will see your attendance records very shortly and they'll know you've had significant time off it's best to let them know what it was for and explain you're in a better place now. They cannot withdraw the offer because of that.

On applications forms you are asked whether you have a disability under the Act because a) often a guaranteed interview b) adjustments may need to be made

I have been asked to provide number of sick days a previous employee had taken

@Bamboozleme

Surely that risks indirect discrimination?

I recently hired someone who told me they'd had some time out of work to take care of their health, and now they were ready to get back to it. The way they explained it made me think it might be mental health related (I didn't feel the need to pry further) but I admired their motivation to get better and get back to work and it put them in a good light in my opinion. If you've already been given an offer they clearly think you're the right person for the job regardless. Focus on that.

If it's over 12 months then it's classed a chronic and you have a protected characteristic under the equalities act.

Not at all.

if asking - because offer guaranteed interview

or a practical reason ie need to make adjustments to accommodate a wheelchair

Many many employers offer guaranteed interview if disabled under the Act

Oh sorry you were asking about why ask about sick days

It is absolutely legal to ask how many days off sick

As a hire manager, any information on absences or health, is held with HR and Occupational Health. It is not seen by me unless I need to know (making certain adjustments etc). I would definitely disclose as if you have absences for the same reason in your new job, you have already disclosed this and they (HR,OH) are aware.
I don’t think employers give information re absences anymore though, so they?

Many orgs still ask how many days off sick someone has had in the last 12 months in application forms.

Firstly, they don't see your attendance records.

Believe me, I've been in this position more than once. They don't see time you've had off - references in the UK these days simply confirm that you worked in XYZ role from start date to end date.

Secondly, they don't collect info on disabilities for any nefarious reason. I've been truthful on the last three new roles and nothing has come of it (in fact my new managers haven't been told in any of the three, it's simply been used for statistical purposes).

If you're still worried about the last point then simply don't declare it. You don't have to, it isn't a mandatory disclosure.

Do you actually know this for sure?

Nowhere I've worked in the past five years has asked, and nowhere I've been hiring manager at for the past five years has asked people I've been hiring.

I've changed jobs three times with significant gaps in attendance at work due to mental health issues and hired several people.

Yep, and many employers (including me!) choose not to provide this information.

I don't think it's fair, as the time that someone has had off previously isn't necessarily an accurate predictor of the time that they will have off in future.

I just ignore the silly forms that the prospective employer sends me and provide the information that I think is relevant and reasonable to share. None of my former employees have ever been refused a job because of this.

As a hiring manager @wheresmymojo you would not have been privy to the absences

but it is absolutely legal to ask and is very frequently done so