Claims for healthcare benefits related to chronic conditions almost doubled in the first half of 2025 as employees looked to workplace support while delays in NHS continued.
An analysis by Healix Health, the UK’s only independent healthcare trust provider, found a 92 percent rise in claims covering long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease compared with the same period in 2024. Women made up nearly two-thirds of claims, with more than one in five coming from those aged 30 to 39.
Support for neurodiversity also rose sharply, with usage up 78 percent year on year. This included diagnostic assessments and ongoing support for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. Almost half of claims were made for people aged 0–21. NHS autism diagnosis waits are now averaging 17 months, around 200 days longer than a year ago.
Traditional Treatments Continue to Dominate
Outpatient care accounted for 55 percent of all claims, while inpatient and daycase treatment together made up 15 percent. Despite the growth of newer benefits, these traditional services remain the backbone of workplace healthcare usage. Physiotherapy (8 percent) and cash plan claims (7 percent) completed the top five most used benefits, both higher than last year.
Primary care consultations rose 60 percent in the first six months of 2025, with more than 60 percent of use coming from employees under 40. This category covers face-to-face GP consultations outside of virtual services, underlining demand for accessible frontline healthcare.
Gender-specific benefits also increased by 27 percent, with women accounting for 87 percent of usage, largely those aged 30–49. Reproductive health claims rose 15 percent, with women aged 30–39 making up almost four in five. Observers said this suggested employers are paying greater attention to fertility, reproductive care and menopause support.
Keira Wallis, head of clinical operations at Healix Health, said the figures showed staff were increasingly signalling their priorities through the benefits they use.
“Employees are showing us what matters to them through the benefits they actually use,” she said. “We’ve seen real growth in areas like chronic conditions and neurodiversity, and women’s health is clearly a much bigger part of the conversation than it was a few years ago. These are all areas where the NHS is struggling to keep up, so naturally, more people are leaning on employer-provided care to fill the gap.”
She added that men were engaging less with workplace health benefits. “What’s interesting is that men’s health isn’t seeing the same engagement, which suggests more could be done to encourage men to use the support that’s available to them, whether at work or in the wider healthcare system.”
Steps Employers Can Take
Industry experts recommend several ways employers can respond to rising demand for workplace healthcare:
Invest in prevention
Routine health checks, early screenings and lifestyle management programmes can reduce the severity of long-term conditions and help catch issues such as hypertension or diabetes before they escalate.
Tailor benefits to employee needs
Expanding neurodiversity and gender-specific benefits ensures support is available across life stages. Menopause, fertility and reproductive care are increasingly expected as standard parts of employee health packages.
Strengthen access to primary care
With demand for frontline services rising, employers can offer virtual GP services, subsidise faster in-person consultations or partner with local clinics to ease pressure on staff.
Support mental health
Employee assistance programmes and mental health resources can complement medical benefits. External providers such as Able Futures and occupational health bodies offer free or low-cost support to employers of all sizes.
Communicate effectively
Awareness campaigns and a workplace culture that normalises use of benefits can reduce stigma. Targeted communication, especially for men, can help close gaps in engagement.
Leverage external expertise
Partnerships with healthcare providers and advisers can help design comprehensive strategies that address physical, mental and financial wellbeing without overwhelming internal HR teams.
The rapid rise in claims related to chronic conditions, neurodiversity and women’s health reflects changing employee expectations as NHS delays persist. Employers that adapt with tailored, preventive and accessible healthcare will be better placed to support staff, reduce absence and improve retention.