Full-year 2025 benefits usage data from Healix Health has revealed chronic condition workplace healthcare benefits usage rising by 142 per cent. These claims include chronic conditions, neurodiversity and specialist digital healthcare pathways, as employees continue to rely on workplace benefits to access care. The rise has been recorded in comparison with figure for full-year 2024.
Inpatient, daycase and outpatient treatment remained the most used benefits across the year, accounting for 69 per cent of total usage, unchanged from 2024. While traditional hospital-based care continues to underpin workplace healthcare provision, growth is increasingly being driven by benefits supporting long-term and specialist needs.
Usage of chronic condition benefits support long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease. Women accounted for 61 per cent of usage, with 20 per cent of usage among those aged 30–39.
This increase comes as attention grows on the link between long-term health, work and economic participation, including through the government’s Get Britain Working review led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, which highlights the role employers can play in helping people manage chronic conditions and stay in work.
Neurodiversity benefits usage increased by 69 per cent compared with 2024, with 49 per cent of usage coming from individuals aged 21 and under, with a relatively even gender split, reflecting continued demand for diagnostic assessments and ongoing support.
Usage of digital healthcare pathways grew by 55 per cent in 2025, with women accounting for 62 per cent of claims, primarily aged 30-49. Self-referral cancer pathway usage increased 64 per cent, with 87 per cent of claims from women, most aged 40-49.
Gender-specific health benefits also continued to rise, up 16 per cent year on year, with 87 per cent of usage from women, largely in the 30-49 age group, highlighting sustained demand for targeted women’s health support.
Mental health benefits usage declined slightly in 2025, falling from 4.3 per cent to 3.9 per cent of total benefits usage. This reflects the way employees are accessing support, rather than a reduction in demand for mental health services, and aligns with a growing employer preference for earlier, lighter-touch interventions, particularly through Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and digital-first self-referral services.
Physiotherapy continued to be widely used, accounting for 7.1 per cent of total benefits usage, up from 6.9 per cent in 2024. Usage was evenly split between genders, with nearly three-quarters of users aged 30–59. Dental benefits accounted for around 4 per cent of total benefits usage, remaining the largest component of Healix Health’s cash plan offering.
“This data suggests workplace healthcare is increasingly being used to support long-term health, not just episodic care,” said Keira Wallis, Head of Clinical Operations at Healix Health. “While hospital treatment still accounts for most benefits usage, the strongest growth is now in chronic conditions, neurodiversity and targeted pathways where access can be more challenging.
“Across our client base, employers are increasingly focused on building integrated wellbeing ecosystems, where private healthcare complements rather than duplicates existing benefits,” she added. “This reflects a more preventative and joined-up approach to health. Rather than acting solely as a safety net when something goes wrong, workplace healthcare is becoming part of a broader wellbeing strategy – helping people access the right level of support at the right time.”
