Barriers to healthcare access experienced by employees are costing the economy an estimated £17bn a year.
This is according to a new economic analysis from healthcare services and cash plan provider Simplyhealth and WPI Economics.
Poor workforce health cost the UK economy £87bn last year, which includes £51.6bn from sickness absence and £20bn from lost productivity when employees work while unwell.
The Access Gap: Building healthcare around real working lives examines the health access barriers faced by employees across the UK and their impact on workforce wellbeing, productivity and business performance.
Around £2.6bn is lost each year because employees spend working time dealing with healthcare administration.
The report, which includes data from 5,000 UK employees and 500 HR decision-makers, found that employees lose an average of 2.1 working days a year because of delayed or difficult access to healthcare.
More than half, 52 per cent, of employees have delayed seeking medical care in the past year, often because appointments did not fit around their working schedule or they could not take, or were worried about taking, time off work.
Employees also reported working an average of five days while unwell or injured. Those who worked while unwell or injured said their productivity fell by more than 40 per cent on those days.
According to the research, nearly two-thirds 66 per cent of employees believe they would be more productive if they could access healthcare more quickly, while 78 per cent of employers say employees increasingly expect better healthcare support in the workplace.
The analysis by WPI Economics found that even a small improvement in the speed of healthcare access could generate an estimated £2.5bn in economic benefits.
Simplyhealth CEO Paul Schreier says: “The way we work has changed dramatically, but the way people access healthcare has not always kept pace. Too many employees are still struggling to get timely support that fits around their working lives, leading to delays in treatment, lost productivity and poorer health outcomes.
“Our research shows that employees are losing valuable working time simply trying to access care, while employers are seeing the impact through absence, reduced productivity and employee experience.
“Closing the access gap is a practical opportunity for employers and the economy. Employers should look carefully at whether their health support is genuinely easy to access, fast to navigate and designed around the realities of modern working life. Getting this right can mean healthier people, stronger businesses and a more productive economy.”
WPI Economics director and founder Matthew Oakley says: “From the significant impacts on people themselves, to lost productivity and higher public spending, workplace ill health is costing us all. Overall, our analysis shows that in 2025, poor workplace health cost the UK £87bn, with almost £52bn attributable to sickness absence, and a further £20bn in lost productivity as a direct result of employees working while sick or injured. Urgent action is needed to ensure that ill health stops being an economic drag on the UK. Boosting access to both preventative support and healthcare when people do become sick, are vital to shortening recoveries and driving down presenteeism. In turn this could lead to significant personal, economic and social benefits.
Simplyhealth head of clinical product & operations Dr Macarena Staudenmaier says: “Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever, and people’s healthcare needs increasingly vary according to their life stage, responsibilities and working patterns. Yet many healthcare services are still designed around traditional models that don’t always reflect how people live and work today.
“Flexibility increasingly means being able to access healthcare around work and personal commitments. Faster GP appointments, evening and weekend availability, and simpler booking systems are among the changes employees say would most improve their ability to access healthcare.
“More broadly, flexible healthcare can include support tailored to different life stages and circumstances, digital and virtual services, 24/7 GP access, and solutions that help people manage their health without disrupting work or family life.
“The research suggests that accessible, flexible healthcare is not just a matter of convenience, but an important factor in achieving better health outcomes. Delays in seeking care can mean health concerns become more complex and harder to treat. Designing healthcare around real working lives can help people access support earlier, reduce delays to treatment and improve health outcomes, while making it easier to manage their health alongside work and personal commitments.”