Could private healthcare reduce sick days in your business?

Private Medical Insurance in the Workplace: Why More Employers Are Taking It Seriously

With NHS waits still running into months, more workers are asking their employers a simple question: can you help? Cast your mind back to the last time someone on your team was off sick for an extended period. The knock-on effect, on workload, morale, and productivity, can be significant. Now imagine if they’d been able to get a diagnosis and start treatment weeks sooner.

Whether you are an employer or employee, this article will go through some key facts around workplace Private Medical Insurance. As your advisor, we are here to help. Book in a call and we’ll go through what we can do for you.

NHS Waiting Times and the Pressure on the Workforce

Did you know the NHS waiting list in England is still at 7.41 million people? Unfortunately, the 18-week treatment target hasn’t been met since 2016.

For someone dealing with a musculoskeletal problem, a mental health concern, or a condition that needs specialist input, waiting months for treatment can be incredibly uncomfortable. Also, meaning weeks away from work, reduced performance, or leaving a role entirely.

Why Employees Are Prioritising Private Healthcare

Around a third of the UK working population now considers private health cover essential, and 60% of employees rank PMI as their number one workplace benefit.

Here’s what makes this particularly compelling for employers. Workers aren’t just passively hoping for PMI, they’re actively prioritising it when choosing where to work and whether to stay. In a competitive jobs market, offering private health cover sends a clear message: we take your wellbeing seriously.

The Business Case for Employers

The economic case stacks up too. Research from Bupa suggests PMI provides a £2.5 billion boost to the UK economy simply by reducing sickness absence.

Employees who can access fast diagnosis and treatment return to work sooner, perform better, and feel more valued.

Why Uptake Is Still Relatively Low

Despite being viewed as essential by so many, only around 8% of individuals have a personal PMI policy. Another 8% are covered through their employer.

The biggest barrier? Cost. Around 74% of people believe private insurance is unaffordable when purchasing it themselves.

But that’s precisely where employer-arranged group cover changes the equation. Group policies are typically far more cost-effective than individual plans, spreading risk across a workforce and often unlocking better terms than any one employee could secure alone. For many businesses, the cost per employee per month is considerably lower than most people assume.

The Growing Shift Towards Private Healthcare

Self-funded healthcare spending in the UK has grown by 24% since the pandemic to £46.2 billion.

The question for employers is whether they want to support that proactively or leave their people to navigate it alone. Offering PMI doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. And for your team, it could make a genuine difference when it matters most.

Let’s Talk About Your Options

If you’d like to explore what group cover might look like for your business, let’s have a chat and find a perfect policy for you and your team.

Sources

1. NHS waiting list data — Health & Protection / NHS England: https://healthcareandprotection.com/nhs-waiting-list-increases-again-to-hit-7-41-million/
2. NHS 18-week target and waiting list statistics — House of Commons Library: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7281/
3. 60% of UK workers prioritise private health insurance over holiday — Health & Safety International: https://www.healthandsafetyinternational.com/article/1954422/60-uk-workers-prioritise-private-health-insurance-holiday
4. PMI’s £2.5bn economic boost and impact on sickness absence — Bupa press release: https://www.bupa.com/news-and-press/press-releases/2026/bupa-launches-new-research-on-economic-impact-of-private-medical-insurance
5. Employee health benefit preferences including PMI uptake and affordability barriers — Perci Health: https://percihealth.com/articles/what-health-benefits-do-employees-want
6. Self-funded healthcare spending growth of 24% since pandemic — Health & Safety International: https://www.healthandsafetyinternational.com/article/1954422/60-uk-workers-prioritise-private-health-insurance-holiday