Analysts of private healthcare LaingBuisson say that almost one in eight Britons now has medical insurance, the highest proportion since 2008, with NHS care delays driving a rise in people using private healthcare.
The number of people covered by a private medical insurance policy hit a record high of 4.68 million at the end of 2023, according to LaingBuisson.
Eight million people in the UK can now access private healthcare using insurance, once the spouses, partners and children of policyholders are included. That represents 11.8% of the UK’s 68.3 million population, the highest percentage since 12.3% in 2008 – before the financial crash prompted a fall in firms paying for private medical cover for their staff and individuals opting for it.
Full story in The Guardian, 30 January 2025
