A new health economics paper from WPI Strategy, commissioned by Bupa, sets out the scale of the challenge posed by rising ill‑health in the workforce and the measurable economic value of early access to care. Healthy Workforce, Healthy Economy shows how faster diagnosis and treatment through private medical insurance and provision helps people recover sooner, return to work more quickly, and work in better health.

The analysis finds that private healthcare delivers a £2.5 billion annual boost to the UK economy, driven by reduced sickness absence and higher productivity. It also highlights the impact on small and medium‑sized businesses: quicker treatment and improved productivity together generate £14,700 in additional output for each SME every year. By easing pressure on public services, private medical insurance also saves the NHS £4.2 billion annually.