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Women urged to shape future workplace menopause support as Menopause Mandate launches The Big Menopause Survey 2026, supported by QVC
New national survey will ask what good menopause support really looks like at work, in healthcare and beyond.
Menopause Mandate has launched The Big Menopause Survey 2026, supported by QVC, calling on women across the UK to share their experiences and help define what good menopause support should look like in real life.
Now in its fourth year, the annual Menopause Mandate survey has become one of the most important ways for women to share their lived experience of menopause, from symptoms and treatment to work, relationships, mental health and access to support.
This year’s survey will include a major focus on menopause in the workplace, as large employers prepare for new duties to set out how they are supporting women’s health at work, including menopause.
Menopause Mandate says women’s voices must shape what meaningful support looks like before these plans become standard practice.
The 2026 survey will ask women what support they are currently receiving from employers and healthcare professionals, where the gaps remain, and what needs to change if women are to get the information, understanding and practical support they deserve.
The launch follows Menopause Mandate’s 2025 survey, completed by more than 15,000 women, which revealed the scale of the impact menopause is having on women’s lives, health, relationships and careers.
Among the 2025 findings:
96% said menopause had affected their quality of life.
77% said menopause symptoms had negatively impacted them at work.
40% had considered changing or quitting their job due to menopause symptoms.
Only 35% said their employer had a menopause policy.
86% reported brain fog, including poor memory and problems with word finding.
The findings from this year’s survey will help shape Menopause Mandate’s future policy and lobbying work, including its calls for better menopause healthcare, stronger workplace support and clearer, practical guidance for employers.
The results will also support research being led by Professor Aimee Spector and her team at University College London, helping to build the evidence base around menopause support, brain fog and the cognitive impact of menopause.
Mariella Frostrup, Chair of Menopause Mandate, said: “Women have been expected to put up, shut up or muddle through menopause for far too long, at home, at work and often in the doctor’s surgery too. What our surveys have shown, year after year, is that women’s experiences are not isolated stories. They are evidence.
“The next stage of change has to be practical. It is not enough for an employer to say they are menopause aware, or for a healthcare system to mention menopause once and move on. Women need support that is timely, informed and useful.
“This survey is our chance to say, collectively and clearly, what is working, what is still failing, and what women actually need next.”
Professor Aimee Spector, University College London, said: “Menopause is often discussed in terms of individual symptoms, but what we urgently need to understand is how those symptoms interact with women’s daily lives, their work, confidence, relationships, mental health and sense of identity.
“Large-scale surveys like this are invaluable because they help us see patterns that smaller studies cannot. They can show us where support is inconsistent, which groups of women are being missed, and which interventions may make the biggest difference.
“By contributing their experiences, women are helping to build a stronger research foundation for better care, better workplace support and more effective interventions in the future.”
The Big Menopause Survey 2026 is powered by QVC, a long-standing supporter of Menopause Mandate’s work.
Caroline Cornabe, Director of Strategic Partnerships & New Business Development. QVC said:
“Menopause is something that touches millions of women and families, yet too many still feel they have to navigate it quietly or without enough support.
“At QVC, we know the power of conversation, community and trusted information. We are proud to help Menopause Mandate reach more women across the UK and encourage them to share their experiences.
“The more women who take part, the clearer the picture becomes.”
Women are encouraged to complete the survey and share it with friends, colleagues, families and workplace networks.
Notes to editors
About The Big Menopause Survey 2026 The Big Menopause Survey 2026 is run by Menopause Mandate and supported by QVC. The survey will gather women’s lived experiences of menopause, including symptoms, healthcare, treatment, work, relationships, mental health and access to support. This year’s survey includes a major focus on menopause in the workplace.
The survey is open now and closes on 31st August
About Menopause Mandate Menopause Mandate is a not-for-profit campaign group founded by women who share a common interest in perimenopause and menopause. It works to ensure every woman has access to the information, treatment, support and care she needs to manage menopause in the way that is right for her.
Menopause Mandate brings together campaigners, clinicians, academics, broadcasters, MPs, workplace experts and women with lived experience to push for better menopause care, improved education, greater awareness and meaningful policy change.
Menopause Mandate’s previous campaign work has included calling for menopause to be included in the NHS Health Check offered to adults in midlife, and campaigning for better access to HRT, including the introduction of the HRT prescription prepayment certificate in England.
About Professor Aimee Spector Professor Aimee Spector is Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing at University College London. Her work focuses on cognition and ageing, with a particular interest in developing and evaluating supportive interventions. She leads research through the UCL Menopause Mind Lab, which explores the impact of the menopause transition on cognition, brain fog and mental health.
About QVC is supporting The Big Menopause Survey 2026 as part of its commitment to helping women access information, conversation and support around menopause and midlife wellbeing.
Interview opportunities Professor Aimee Spector is available for expert interview on menopause, brain fog, cognition and the evidence base around support.
Menopause Mandate spokespeople are available for interview on the survey, workplace support, healthcare access and menopause policy.
Menopause Action Plans
Under the UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025, large employers (with 250 or more staff) are required to publish a Menopause Action Plan. These plans are currently voluntary but will become a legal mandate in spring 2027. In addition, employers of any size are bound by the Equality Act 2010 regarding discrimination.
The Law and Action Plans
Voluntary Phase: The government officially introduced the voluntary rollout, allowing large employers to publish their plans alongside their gender pay gap data. [1]
Mandatory Phase: Starting in spring 2027, publishing a Menopause Action Plan will become a mandatory requirement for all organisations with 250+ employees. [1]
Minimum Requirements: Organisations must choose at least one action from the government’s recommended list to support employees, perimenopausal or postmenopausal staff. [1, 2]
