How many people in the UK actually have private health insurance?

Posted by Majestic_Cry8545@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 103 comments

Few hours ago I posted here about dental hygiene and it made me think more broadly about something else! How many people in the UK actually use private healthcare or private health insurance?

For context, my wife gets full private healthcare through work as an exec, and me and our son are on a discounted family plan so we pay about £150ish/month between the two of us. It’s not just basic cover either, it includes fairly comprehensive access (specialists, diagnostics, faster referrals, etc.)

When I moved to the UK 15 years ago, the NHS felt good enough for most things. Over time though, my experience has been that while it’s still excellent for emergencies and serious acute problems, it can be incredibly slow for anything preventative or non urgent, leaving people waiting (often in pain) for months or even years, when privately it could be sorted so much faster.

We really value the NHS (they saved our son’s life, and the NICU & PICU experience was genuinely exceptional care) so this isn’t anti NHS at all. But for day to day quality of life kind of issues the delays can be significant.

So I’m just curious as to how many people here are actually paying for private healthcare cover, and what’s your setup like/how much do you pay? Do you think it’s worth it?

[-]

Hammahnator@reddit

I self pay for the bits of private healthcare I use. Physiotherapy and podiatry.

I have pre existing conditions (long history of MSK pain and bilateral total hip replacements in my 30s) so no insurer is going to touch me for physiotherapy coverage.

[-]

YouSayWotNow@reddit

A friend of mine at work just told me about a semi private health thing where you're paying <£20 a month but it's just a top up to the NHS for diagnosis. It doesn't cover any emergency stuff, or treatment. Basically if your GP refers you and it's going to be more than X weeks, then they'll cover you to go private for the consult / tests / diagnosis and then hand you back to the NHS. That's how I think it works, anyway. I've just signed up myself, though I won't be able to make use it for 6 months.

[-]

badger906@reddit

I have private dental. I pay £30 a month. Covers me for unlimited dental work in the uk. And millions in insurance abroad.

[-]

missuseme@reddit

I have insurance through work.

A couple of years ago I had something that was causing me mild daily pain, but wasn't a threat to my health. The NHS said wouldn't operate unless it got worse but it wouldn't get better on its own.

I used my private health insurance, it cost me £100 total excess for 2-3 pre op appointments, the operation and 2 post op appointments.

[-]

Apprehensive-Top3675@reddit

Private dental plans are much, much more common than private health insurance. The benefit of private dentistry over NHS dentistry is a lot higher than the benefit of private healthcare over NHS care.

[-]

jiggjuggj0gg@reddit

For now. GPs are voting to introduce a subscription payment model for GP appointments but for some reason nowhere is talking about it.

[-]

Sir-Craven@reddit

It also helps that NHS dentists have basically refused to continue treating NHS patients so there is little to no alternative.

[-]

sleepyprojectionist@reddit

I get Bupa Select through work for nothing.

They used to pay the excess payment too, but now it costs me £200 for the first time if I want to use it.

I had several grands worth of blood tests, scans and MRIs a few years ago and managed to go from first appointment to consultant referral, to tests, to diagnosis, to treatment plan in six weeks.

It had taken the NHS three or four years at this point to tell me that nothing was wrong with me and it was all in my head.

We also get a free digital GP service separate and additional to the Bupa service, so that’s useful for minor illnesses and private prescriptions.

[-]

Federal_Sun_2749@reddit

I have it through work. Pretty much every job I’ve had through my career has provided it.

[-]

These_Look_2692@reddit

I spent some time considering private family health insurance. Ultimately I decided not to get any. This was based on talking to some doctors who thought that for the really serious and expensive stuff nhs would be better in my area (Scotland). Plus many plans stop converging it.

For less expensive stuff I would prefer to pay out of pocket. This is likely to be cheaper, as obviously the insurance company exists to make money and has multiple middle men. Just paying ‘cash’ also involves less hassle and admin and more choice. Could even speed things up.

Obviously this raises the risk of creating massive bills. Frankly, I am prepared to whack them on a credit card and then just get an IVA if it comes to it!

[-]

Objective_Echo6492@reddit

I know a few people that have it.

Personally, I think bribing medical professionals to prioritise you over poor people should be illegal.

Could afford it, choose not to.

[-]

Virtual-Dust2732@reddit

Using a completely different service really isn't bribery. I get health insurance provided by my employer, and have used it for shoulder surgery that I would have had to wait a lot longer for. For me it's a win win. I get dealt with faster, and I saved the NHS money and time meaning they could deal with someone else. I don't see how that could be a bad thing.

[-]

Objective_Echo6492@reddit

Paying someone more money so you can skip the queue is bribery.

Sure, if you're getting your tits done, have at it.

If Doris is waiting longer for her shoulder surgery because her doctor knows they can make more money by taking backhanders 3 days a week, then I'm less inclined to agree.

[-]

Virtual-Dust2732@reddit

So you think the private surgeon would magically be working in an NHS hospital if private hospitals didn't exist? Doris moves up a space in the waoting list because I'm not on it, that way you she can get her shoulder fixed faster and look forward to getting her tits done.

[-]

Objective_Echo6492@reddit

Ultimately, we have opposing views on private health care. I don't care to hear justifications, and my stance will not change.

[-]

adamlbrown3@reddit

because you're quite literally taking NHS-trained and paid for medical staff directly away from the NHS. Who do you think did your shoulder surgery, a window cleaner on his day off?

[-]

Virtual-Dust2732@reddit

It's not taking anything away from the NHS. Unless you think that because someone trains somewhere (whilst providing a service) they have to stay there forever.

[-]

adamlbrown3@reddit

we don't actually have a shortage of medical staff in this country, if private healthcare were banned tomorrow, waiting lists would start falling almost instantly, saving thousands of lives. But no, because YOU want to queue jump because you think you're a special sunflower

[-]

Virtual-Dust2732@reddit

So would these medical staff work for free because they can't get private jobs? And the hospitals are suddenly bigger of course. Or, would the waiting lists actually go up because there is a finite amount of resources. Oh, and with private health care banned that'd be another £2k that the government would get from me in the tax on my benefit in kind. Sorry, but I like the sun.

[-]

Repulsive-Math-4734@reddit

I have vitality through family plan and my portion is about £50 a month, could not fault it

Was referred to a neurologist on NHS and was sent an appointment for march 2027 (this was over a year from the date I got the letter). Paid £100 excess and got consultation same week on a Saturday, MRI scan and follow up 2 weeks later

Also have glasses and dental cover so got myself some prescription sunglasses for free!

So worth the cost

[-]

Luimerv74@reddit

I’ve had it in all my jobs for the last couple of decades. About five years ago I needed a shoulder operation, I was in absolute agony. Got in within two weeks, would have taken 12 months on the NHS. My wife has had a similar situation. The NHS is great but I wouldn’t be without my private cover

[-]

AnneKnightley@reddit

I only have private insurance for dental through work - it’s recent as my dentist used to be NHS. Don’t do medical insurance though.

[-]

AfternoonLines@reddit

Check small print carefully, I did, this year and I'd have to pay over £100 pm to be eligible for anything that I would possibly need, the £20 didn't even cover a single checkup I think once a year, all hidden in small print.

[-]

Nemariwa@reddit

As a middle ground between having private insurance I have a health plan for treatments rather than operations. I pay them x a month and they refund me varying percentages depending on the type of treatment.

I break even just on teeth and eyes. I went to see a private podiatrist recently and am considering a physio. It includes access to a 24hr GP line too.

[-]

Cultural-Newt136@reddit

My work does offer it but I declined it - just didn't make sense with the amount of tax I had to pay for it. Also, don't forget the £100 excess you have to pay each year when you try and use it and a lot of things end up not being covered of partially covered. I'm fit, young and healthy though and haven't used NHS in any capacity in the last 5 years. Also, I'm lucky to have family in Europe where I can have yearly checkups privately at very affordable prices.

[-]

pc-plod@reddit

I have it through work, my employer pays for my coverage and I pay a bit extra to cover my OH. No excess, £50k a year cover, I've used it quite a bit, had carpal tunnel surgery, varicose veins surgery, endoscopy & colonoscopy, physio.

It's been great at fast tracking things that would have taken years on the NHS to have done.

[-]

Little_st4r@reddit

My partner has health insurance through work with aviva and so we pay an extra £70 a month to add me on. As a result we were able to have IVF this year and I'm now pregnant. The NHS have been great for other things, but for infertility we were just being sent round in circles

[-]

VolcanicBear@reddit

Congratulations on the IVF!

What issues did you have with the NHS though? We had 3 failed attempts, but didn't really struggle to get access to it once we'd managed to get beyond the GP.

[-]

Sea_Pangolin3840@reddit

Congratulations!

[-]

TrustVisual1394@reddit

That's an excellent use of it. Congratulations!! 🎊

[-]

Little_st4r@reddit

Thank you! That was after 4 years of infertility. The NHS did a lot of my tests wrong and had to redo them after a year 🙈 then I was on a waiting list for 15 months only to be told to 'just keep trying' (this was after 2.5 years)- at this point they hadn't even done an ultrasound on me to check if everything physically was ok, or a lot of other tests. It was such a relief when my partners work got the health care package!

[-]

UnusualInstruction51@reddit

I get it through work - just pay tax on it as a benefit in kind plus £100 a year access fee. I've had around £100k of consultant appointments, tests and hospital treatment from it so it's worked well for me. I'm in London, so get access to some great facilities - the diagnostics facility at The Shard is top notch. The speed of being treated is the main thing, I needed tests on a breast lump, was booked in in 2 days, saw a consultant and had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy with the initial results and follow up with the consultant all within a couple of hours in a shiny new facility (thankfully all was fine). But you also just get better facilities (in London at least) - I had a lung operation, so it was nice being in a decent private hospital with my own room and good quality food.

[-]

EricGeorge02@reddit

Not now, but I had private health insurance when I was working as a freelancer - mainly to make sure I had fast access to treatment. An unplanned month off could leave a big financial hole.

[-]

ConfidentRemove9778@reddit

My husband and I both have private dental plans, and he has comprehensive BUPA cover through his job. We use it quite a bit, for example I was on the wait list to see a consultant in cardiology and was able to see an private consultant a lot sooner than on the NHS.

We also had to pay for my Dad to have his prostate operation privately, I honestly believe he would have died waiting for the NHS.

[-]

bushidojet@reddit

Looking at it currently, have private dental for me and the small person as the NHS dentists are pretty poor round here.

Have done the numbers on private health insurance and we could probably afford it to cover us all but it doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions which causes problems for us. Still researching at the moment but no decision made yet

[-]

hamstertoybox@reddit

I’m covered by my mum’s Benaden plan. They don’t do everything but are very good at getting physiotherapy quickly.

[-]

Bean7894@reddit

I think it's pretty common to have health and dentla through work, outside of entry level /low skill roles / mine wage roles

[-]

AirlineSevere7456@reddit

I get it through my wife's work (Bupa) better coverage etc.
My work did provide one (Vitality), but it's bit naff in comparison.

[-]

LaughingGravy1001@reddit

Always found Vitality to be really good in my experience. My dad had 2 hip replacements and a knee replacement and they were excellent all the way through. No quibbles and very good service received. He’d still be waiting on the NHS

[-]

AirlineSevere7456@reddit

I think my company has the poverty spec Vitality...

[-]

Squeak_Stormborn@reddit

How does it work? I have it too and don't really get it...

[-]

LaughingGravy1001@reddit

Just contact them, let them know what your issue is. Go and see your GP, get a referral and mention that you have Vitality healthcare. Everything went smoothly from there for my dad. 3 months from starting the ball rolling he had one hip done, the other 9 months later and then his knee the year after that

[-]

Squeak_Stormborn@reddit

Thanks!

[-]

drakesdrum@reddit

Theyre getting much more common through work. Most finance jobs i see have it now. People will get used to using it more and more and be less and less borthered about the NHS

[-]

bouncy_shouts@reddit

I have AXA and a cash plan from work. The cash plan is brilliant but I can’t seem to get the axa to cover anything easily. It pretty much fully excludes pregnancy when I would have benefited from an iron infusion and continuous glucose monitors. Neither have been available on the nhs so I’ve self funded.

I’m hoping they might pay towards pelvic floor physiotherapy post birth so that I can be cleared for running again (again not offered as standard on the nhs)

I’m paying £900 a year and not benefitting from it but it would be sods law that the moment i cancel it i’ll get diagnosed with something serious

[-]

thecockmeister@reddit

We get a cash health plan from work. Get money back on like one physio appointment a year, plus £65 towards glasses and the same again for dental work (so basically fuck all compared to the actual costs).

Do get a 100 quid for having a baby though, so maybe it's worth it.

[-]

abcdefghabca@reddit

I had that then got promoted and now I’m not eligible for that for free, instead is aviva health insurance but it’s not really applicable to me

[-]

Constant_Inspector46@reddit

Most people have it through work and stop afterwards as the cost makes it unaffordable.

[-]

TrustVisual1394@reddit

Ive never known anyone who does. They might have but they never talked about it. I think I'd be pretty embarrassed to buy it, unless I had a chronic health condition that made it necessary

[-]

mgorgey@reddit

Why would you be embarrassed?

[-]

adamlbrown3@reddit

Because you're literally paying doctors to abandon their NHS work whilst people are dying in the corridors

[-]

lesloid@reddit

In the Uk they generally won’t cover chronic conditions like diabetes etc - it’s more for acute conditions like cancer

[-]

Bksudbjdua@reddit

I have it with work but rarely use it. Bit confusing and you always need to pay like £100 excess

[-]

CraigTheBrewer12@reddit

Offered through my work, but even if it wasn’t it’s something I would consider paying for. I went private before when the NHS offered her a specialist appointment with a 3 year wait and then told her she couldn’t drive until the appointment and it was worth every penny.

[-]

Sea_Pangolin3840@reddit

My advice to young ines just starting to earn is to take out private health insurance. I wish I had done but I am a pensioner now with numerous health problems that wouldn't be covered .I am in extreme pain waiting for a knee replacement surgery and the list is well over a year. A relative with private medical insurance got his done within 2 weeks. The NHS is on its knees unfortunately and we can't guarantee it's future .Get the insurance whilst young even if only a basic cover .

[-]

adamlbrown3@reddit

"it can be incredibly slow for anything preventative or non urgent, leaving people waiting (often in pain) for months or even years, when privately it could be sorted so much faster"

OP completely failing to understand the direction of causality here. The more people go private, the more staff and resources are stripped from the NHS to pander to them instead, the longer normal people have to wait for lifesaving surgery.

[-]

Little_st4r@reddit

There are many private clinics that do not take NHS patients at all (for example my one) so me going there wouldn't have any impact on NHS wait lists...

[-]

adamlbrown3@reddit

do you think private clinics are staffed by magic elves

[-]

Goldf_sh4@reddit

No. NHS only. I wouldn't want to pay twice.

[-]

what_will_it_be@reddit

I get private healthcare through work, including political and dental. It’s a great bonus to have. I only really use the healthcare side of things for emergency appointments as the system is quicker than my local GP

[-]

UnspeakableBadger@reddit

I get it through my job for a fiver before tax, haven’t needed it and have just used the NHS but I do claim back the cost of dental work.

Generally though I have a good doctors with short wait times for appointments, and in an emergency it’s always going to be an NHS hospital I go to, otherwise I’ve not needed it, and should probably cancel the benefit but it’s so cheap I feel it’s not worth saving the money.

[-]

MinimumBeginning5144@reddit

I haven't heard of anyone before that pays for private medical insurance out of their own pocket. I currently get PMI through work, and I've been thinking of declining that benefit as I don't think the 40% income tax I pay on it is worth it, but I kept it because if I were to fall ill it wouldn't look good for my career if I took extended sick leave due to not having medical insurance.

The one time I did use private cover, as an outpatient, I found it not much better than the NHS and then I had to pay the policy excess too, which I wouldn't have had to pay if I went as an NHS patient.

[-]

mattcannon2@reddit

My family get it through my work - not had to use it yet, but medical history is disregarded so it's a bit of a no brainer.

[-]

Specialist_Emu7274@reddit

I had it when I was working full time (I am a student now, that was at a garden centre too so not really a proper corporate job, never needed it though) then under my dad's company until my parents moved out the country so could not use that insurance anymore. Both my siblings have it through work, it seems the standard in corporate jobs. My brother is one of those people that is always ill or has some accident and private healthcare has been a godsend for him for not being on long waiting lists.

[-]

Headlight-Highlight@reddit

All the young professionals I know get it through work - with tax so high, perks earn their keep.

[-]

Similar_Quiet@reddit

you have to pay tax on the private healthcare perk though, so that barely makes sense.

[-]

lesloid@reddit

PHI is also taxable

[-]

BarleyWineStein@reddit

It's great for things that the NHS aren't great at such as:

Dental

Seeing physios and injury repairs (getting hurt playing sport and having to be on the NHS waiting list for a year sucks)

Speaking to a GP same day without having to call at 8am and all that game.

It's a short cut into treatment. Sad to say but if you can afford it, it's worth having.

[-]

MultipleScoregasm@reddit

I have dental through salary sacrifice

[-]

Squeak_Stormborn@reddit

I have Vitality through work and I don't even know how to use it. Should probably look into it...

[-]

lesloid@reddit

Most folk in senior technical or management roles in the private sector will have it provided through their employer, especially if they work for a plc. Public sector obviously not and charity rare, maybe for exec level in some.

[-]

PatserGrey@reddit

Through work, yes. Even that's bloody expensive these days though, my tax code is very sad.

[-]

PleasantCucumber2615@reddit

I had private medical insurance through my previous employer. We could add our family on for a very reasonable fee.

I think more companies are turning to it as well. It is an attractive perk and it works for the company too.

I did notice a lot of the Doctors divide their time between working for the NHS and private work. You'd have to wait 18 months to see them on the NHS, but could see them privately with a couple of weeks.

[-]

MeetingTiny4541@reddit

I have always had it through my work, irrespective of company

[-]

sparklybeast@reddit

If we could afford it we absolutely would, as both of us have long term health conditions and after various fuckups and just general slowness we've completely lost trust in our GP surgery/the NHS in general.

[-]

FlaviousTiberius@reddit

To be fair a lot of them won't cover any pre-existing conditions.

[-]

Thunderoussshart@reddit

I've got private health insurance with Aviva through work. The company pays for it. I do get taxed more because it counts as a benefit in kind, so affects my personal allowance.

[-]

Jolly-Avocado0@reddit

I have health insurance via work, but it doesn't existing or chronic issues. I tried using it once and didn't get very far. I can book a GP appointment whenever I need which may be useful, but I'd rather dental insurance tbh!

[-]

MiddleAgedDread123@reddit

i have BUPA through work and more than get my monies worth from it! Wouldn't take a job that doesn't include it, unless I got a hefty pay rise that would cover it. Used to pay for private dental but have recently moved to a new NHS dentist.

[-]

Broad-Raspberry1805@reddit

I’ve had it via work for maybe 20 years now. It’s quite common in certain higher paying roles and companies.

[-]

LaughingGravy1001@reddit

I do. The company I work for pay for my Vitality insurance

[-]

Graz279@reddit

We've had it available at work for quite a few years, for some time the company contributed to it, then decided it wasn't going to but you could still buy into the company scheme, last year they gave everyone the "Silver" cover with BUPA.

In the past I have opted out as even though then scheme was paid for it was treated as a BIK for tax so still cost me in the tax for it. As I'm getting older I've decided I might as well have it and paid the extra for the Gold cover. I've had some physio recently out of the scheme and I also recently got diagnosed with benign prostate issues so if I want that fixed at some point in the future the private option is useful and gives you access to more advanced surgeries that you wouldn't get on the NHS.

So yeah I think it is worth it now but in my younger and healthier days perhaps not. Can't remember exactly what it costs me, maybe around £150 a month.

[-]

Master-Trick2850@reddit

Im technically manager level so we get private health insurance at this level

[-]

Vegetable-Meal4956@reddit

Nope, skint

[-]

Lynvor@reddit

Think I've got bupa, haven't used them though.

[-]

asymmetricears@reddit

I get it for free through work, prior to getting my current job I did pay (I think about £50/month, but it was long enough ago that I may be wrong).

[-]

UTG1970@reddit

Bupa as a spare for my other halves work deal

[-]

Wonderful-Cow-9664@reddit

I have it through work, so does my husband (we work for different companies, but both with bupa) it has its great points and it’s not so great points, but I couldn’t do without it now

[-]

fickle_tartan@reddit

I have Vitality for free through my work (I think I pay the tax on it but it's a negligible amount) but it's fairly limited and I don't make much use of it.

Mostly I use the rewards benefits, and the video GP appointments they offer have come in handy a couple of times, but that's about it.

[-]

Puzzleheaded-Key2212@reddit

My work pays for me as I work in a high risk industry oil and gad

[-]

dani-dee@reddit

My husband has it through work but it only covers him, he’s not had a need to use it yet.

I’ve only ever had good experiences with the NHS, I can get a doctors appointment easily for me and my kids, I had excellent care in both my pregnancies and child births as well as various emergency situations over the years, so never really felt the need to take it out for us. I know we’re very lucky in that sense.

I think I would consider it if my experiences got worse, but my best friends sister has been private for years for a health issue she has and she’s now struggling to see the consultant she’s been dealing with for years.. I’m talking appointments 2 months out. Which isn’t ideal when you’re paying for it and shows that more people are turning private, which shows what a sad state of affairs the NHS has become.

[-]

Widebody_lover@reddit

Most HENRYs will have it and a good amount of white collar MENRYs too

[-]

Skylon77@reddit

Like most doctors, I have private medical insurance. I wouldn't trust the NHS.

For dental, I see a private dentist, but I just do pay-as-you-go, rather than insurance. Helps to encourage me to be preventative!

[-]

MrPogoUK@reddit

My wife used to through work, and I seem to remember she could basically get an almost instant video call appointment with a GP at any time of the day or night, but not sure if she ever used it for anything else before eventually changing jobs to somewhere which didn’t offer it as a perk.

[-]

When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!

Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.