In the lumi reward benchmark, 72.4% of UK organisations provide an Employee Assistance Programme (n = 268) and 41.6% have a documented financial wellbeing strategy (n = 267, 2026 H1).
Key findings
- 72.4% of organisations provide an Employee Assistance Programme, the common answer (n = 268).
- Mental-health first aiders are the most frequently selected mental-health provision, at 53.6% (n = 267).
- "No strategy" is the common answer on a documented wellbeing strategy, at 43.8% (n = 267).
- The median annual wellbeing budget is £102 per employee, with quartiles of £50 and £145.75 (n = 124, "Not applicable" excluded).
- 41.6% have a documented financial wellbeing strategy, the common answer (n = 267).
- 66.7% do not offer earned wage access (n = 267). Where fees were reported, 75.3% are employer-funded (n = 89).
- One-off payments are the most frequently selected cost-of-living intervention of the last 24 months, at 41.7% (n = 264).
About the data
This paper reports how UK employers answered lumi's questions on wellbeing and financial wellbeing. The lumi reward benchmark covers 269 UK organisations across 14 sectors and five size bands. Data was collected in the 2026 H1 collection window. Each figure gives its base (n): the number of organisations that answered that question. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so a distribution can add up to 100.1%. Figures here are national. Sector and size comparisons are available to lumi members. See how lumi works for the method.
The legal context
The provision covered in this paper is not set by statute. Two statutory points sit next to it.
- From 6 April 2026, statutory sick pay (SSP) is payable from the first full day of sickness, with the lower earnings limit removed. SSP is the lower of £123.25 a week and 80% of normal weekly earnings, for up to 28 weeks.
- Automatic enrolment requires minimum total contributions of 8% of qualifying earnings, at least 3% from the employer. The savings vehicles reported here sit alongside that pension.
What percentage of UK employers offer an EAP and mental-health support?
Asked Do you provide an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)?, 72.4% answered yes (n = 268), the common answer. 27.6% answered no, which on the benchmark's prevalence scale is an alternative answer rather than a rare one.
Which mental-health support provisions are offered? allowed more than one answer (n = 267).
| Provision | % of base |
|---|---|
| MH first aiders | 53.6% |
| Counselling | 43.4% |
| Digital app | 39.0% |
| Manager training | 29.6% |
| MH days | 13.9% |
| None | 12.4% |
Mental-health first aiders are the most frequently selected provision. This is a peer model: trained colleagues who respond and signpost, rather than a clinical service. Counselling and digital apps are the service-based options. 12.4% selected none of the listed provisions.
A separate question asks how far manager training has reached: What proportion of people managers have completed mental-health awareness training? (n = 262).
| Answer | % of base | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| None | 68.7% | common |
| Under 25% | 13.7% | rare |
| 25-75% | 11.1% | rare |
| Over 75% | 6.5% | rare |
31.3% report that at least some people managers have completed the training (13.7% + 11.1% + 6.5%). The support question records whether manager training is offered (29.6%); this one records completion, on a different base, so the two are not directly comparable.
Asked Do you offer health screening or health assessments? (n = 267), 58.1% answered no, the common answer, and 41.9% yes, an alternative. Screening is preventive: it assesses health before a problem appears, rather than supporting people once one has.
Do UK employers have a wellbeing strategy and a wellbeing budget?
Answers to Is there a documented wellbeing strategy, and how often reviewed? (n = 267):
| Answer | % of base | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| No strategy | 43.8% | common |
| Ad hoc | 25.8% | alternative |
| Annual | 23.6% | alternative |
| >Annual | 6.7% | rare |
30.3% review a strategy on a set cycle, "Annual" or ">Annual" (23.6% + 6.7%). "Ad hoc" can be read as a strategy reviewed without a fixed cycle, or as activity without a documented plan. The question does not separate the two, so it is not added to the set-cycle figure.
Asked What is your annual wellbeing budget per employee (£)? (n = 124), organisations gave a median of £102 per employee. The 25th percentile is £50 and the 75th percentile £145.75; answers range from £25 to £300. A further 143 answered "Not applicable" and are excluded from the base, more than gave a figure. One reading is that they hold no separate wellbeing budget, but the question does not record the reason.
Which wellbeing/health data do you actively track (absence rates, PMI claims, wellbeing scores, EAP utilisation)? allowed more than one answer (n = 267).
| Measure tracked | % of base |
|---|---|
| Absence rates | 51.7% |
| EAP utilisation | 28.8% |
| PMI claims | 18.7% |
| Wellbeing scores | 13.9% |
| None | 31.8% |
Absence rates are the most frequently tracked measure, at 51.7%, and wellbeing scores the least, at 13.9%. 31.8% track none of the four measures.
How many UK employers have a financial wellbeing strategy or money guidance?
Asked Is there a documented financial wellbeing strategy beyond ad hoc provision? (n = 267), 41.6% answered "Documented strategy", the common answer. 36.7% answered "No" and 21.7% "Ad hoc provision"; both are alternatives. The two answers without a documented strategy total 58.4% (36.7% + 21.7%).
The two strategy questions return different common answers, but they are worded differently and only the wellbeing question asks about review frequency, so they are not a direct comparison.
Asked Do you provide access to independent debt advice or a money-guidance service? (n = 265), 69.1% answered no, the common answer. 19.6% fund a service and 11.3% signpost to one, such as MaPS (the Money and Pensions Service); both are rare. 30.9% provide access in one of these ways (19.6% + 11.3%). Signposting points to an existing service; funding pays for a dedicated one.
Answers to Do you provide one-to-one financial coaching or advice (beyond pensions)? (n = 264):
| Answer | % of base | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| No | 64.4% | common |
| Subsidised | 13.6% | rare |
| Yes funded advice | 12.5% | rare |
| Workshops only | 9.5% | rare |
26.1% offer one-to-one support on a subsidised or funded basis (13.6% + 12.5%). Adding workshops-only provision gives 35.6% (13.6% + 12.5% + 9.5%). The options range from group sessions to individual advice paid for by the employer.
Do UK employers offer earned wage access, payroll loans or savings?
Answers to Can employees draw part of their pay before payday (earned wage access)? (n = 267):
| Answer | % of base | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| No | 66.7% | common |
| Yes hourly/frontline only | 15.7% | rare |
| Yes all eligible | 15.0% | rare |
| Piloting | 2.6% | rare |
30.7% offer earned wage access (15.7% + 15.0%), or 33.3% including pilots (15.7% + 15.0% + 2.6%). The two "yes" answers are close in size. One focuses access on hourly or frontline staff; the other makes it available to all eligible employees.
Two follow-up questions were each answered by 89 organisations. Asked If employees can draw pay early, who pays the provider's fees? (n = 89), 75.3% answered "Employer-funded (free to employee)", the common answer; 16.9% "Employee pays per transaction" and 7.9% "Subscription model" are rare. Asked Is there a limit on how much pay employees can draw before payday? (n = 89), 55.1% answered "No cap", the common answer. "Yes — up to 50% of accrued pay" (39.3%) is an alternative and "Yes — another limit" (5.6%) is rare; together 44.9% set a limit (39.3% + 5.6%). Fees decide whether early access costs the employee anything; a cap decides how much pay can be drawn early.
Answers to Do you offer payroll-deducted loans or an internal hardship fund? (n = 265):
| Answer | % of base | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| No | 61.5% | common |
| Payroll-deducted loan scheme | 19.2% | rare |
| Internal hardship fund | 11.3% | rare |
| Both | 7.9% | rare |
38.4% offer at least one of the two (19.2% + 11.3% + 7.9%), and 27.1% offer a loan scheme, alone or with a hardship fund (19.2% + 7.9%). A loan is repaid by the employee from pay. A hardship fund is money the organisation sets aside for staff in difficulty; the question does not record whether it pays grants or loans.
Do you offer a workplace savings vehicle alongside the pension (e.g. workplace ISA, sidecar savings, credit union payroll deduction)? allowed more than one answer (n = 265).
| Vehicle | % of base |
|---|---|
| Workplace ISA/GIA | 13.6% |
| Credit union payroll deduction | 7.9% |
| Sidecar/emergency savings | 7.5% |
| None | 74.0% |
74.0% selected none of the listed vehicles. Sidecar or emergency savings hold money for short-term needs next to the pension.
What cost-of-living support do UK employers provide?
Which cost-of-living interventions have you made in the last 24 months? allowed more than one answer (n = 264).
| Intervention | % of base |
|---|---|
| One-off payments | 41.7% |
| Targeted low-earner uplift | 13.3% |
| Subsidies (meals/travel) | 11.4% |
| None | 35.2% |
One-off payments are the most frequently selected intervention. Unlike a targeted uplift, a one-off payment does not add to base pay. The question covers a 24-month period, so it describes actions taken within it, not a change over time.
Asked Do you provide free or subsidised meals for staff? (n = 265), 72.1% answered no, the common answer. 15.5% provide free meals and 12.5% subsidised meals; both are rare. 28.0% provide one or the other (15.5% + 12.5%).
Asked Do you offer season ticket or commuting loans? (n = 262), 80.2% answered no, the common answer. 19.8% answered yes, just under the 20% threshold, so it is rare. Both meals and commuting support depend on attending a workplace.
What the data means for reward decisions
Provision and use. Providing an EAP is the common answer (72.4%), while "None" is the common answer on manager training completion (68.7%). Provision can be bought centrally; completion depends on managers' time. With EAP utilisation tracked by 28.8% and 31.8% tracking none of the listed measures, a reward manager might ask what the organisation knows about whether its provision is used.
Strategy and activity. A documented strategy with a set review cycle gives a fixed point for deciding what to add or remove. Provision without one can change faster but is harder to review as a whole. Does a strategy change what is offered, or only how it is reviewed? Who owns the review?
Budget. Is wellbeing spend held as its own budget, or spread across benefit lines such as an EAP or health cover? How would the organisation know its spend per head?
Access to money and building a buffer. Earned wage access, loans and hardship funds give people money when they need it. Savings vehicles and guidance aim to reduce how often that need arises. Who pays for early pay access? Is there a cap? Is access limited to hourly or frontline staff, or open to all eligible employees? Does a loan scheme sit alongside debt advice, or on its own?
One-off and permanent responses. One-off payments (41.7%) and targeted low-earner uplifts (13.3%) answer the same pressure in different ways. A one-off payment is flexible and does not compound. An uplift is permanent and changes the pay structure. What happens if the pressure behind a one-off payment does not ease? How does an uplift for low earners affect differentials above them?
None of these choices is right or wrong in itself. A rare practice is a less frequent choice, not a weaker one.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of UK employers offer an Employee Assistance Programme?
In the lumi reward benchmark, 72.4% of UK organisations provide an Employee Assistance Programme (n = 268, 2026 H1). Mental-health first aiders are the most frequently selected mental-health provision, at 53.6% (n = 267).
How much do UK employers spend on wellbeing per employee?
In the lumi reward benchmark, the median annual wellbeing budget is £102 per employee (n = 124, 2026 H1). The 25th percentile is £50 and the 75th percentile £145.75, and answers range from £25 to £300. A further 143 organisations answered "Not applicable" and are excluded from that base.
Do UK employers have a documented wellbeing strategy?
In the lumi reward benchmark, 43.8% of UK organisations have no documented wellbeing strategy, the most common answer (n = 267, 2026 H1). 30.3% review a strategy on a set cycle, annually or more often (23.6% + 6.7%), and 25.8% review ad hoc.
What percentage of UK employers have a financial wellbeing strategy?
In the lumi reward benchmark, 41.6% of UK organisations have a documented financial wellbeing strategy, the most common answer (n = 267, 2026 H1). 36.7% have none and 21.7% provide on an ad hoc basis, so 58.4% have no documented strategy (36.7% + 21.7%).
Do UK employers offer earned wage access, and who pays the fees?
In the lumi reward benchmark, 66.7% of UK organisations do not offer earned wage access (n = 267, 2026 H1). 30.7% offer it (15.7% + 15.0%), or 33.3% including pilots (15.7% + 15.0% + 2.6%). Where fees were reported, 75.3% are employer-funded and free to the employee (n = 89).
Do UK employers provide debt advice or financial coaching?
In the lumi reward benchmark, 69.1% of UK organisations do not provide access to independent debt advice or a money-guidance service (n = 265, 2026 H1). 19.6% fund a service and 11.3% signpost to one, giving 30.9% (19.6% + 11.3%).
What have UK employers done about the cost of living?
In the lumi reward benchmark, one-off payments are the most frequently selected cost-of-living intervention of the last 24 months, at 41.7% (n = 264, 2026 H1). Targeted low-earner uplifts follow at 13.3% and subsidies for meals or travel at 11.4%. 35.2% selected none of the listed interventions.
Notes
- Base (n) is the number of organisations answering each question. "Not applicable" answers sit inside the base unless stated otherwise. Rounding is as described in "About the data"; percentages are not re-normalised.
- What is your annual wellbeing budget per employee (£)? excludes "Not applicable" from the base: 143 organisations answered "Not applicable" and the base is 124.
- For questions allowing more than one answer, percentages are the share of the base choosing each option and can sum to more than 100. "None" is the share selecting none of the listed options.
- The questions on earned wage access fees and limits were each answered by 89 organisations.
- Combined figures add the listed percentages of options within one single-select question, with the parts shown each time. Prevalence words are used for single-select and yes/no questions only.
Data appendix
Every question on this page, with its base and full distribution, as a spreadsheet: download the CSV.
All national figures used in this paper, as recorded in the lumi reward benchmark (collection window 2026 H1).
Do you provide an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)?
Base: 268 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 72.4% | 194 | common |
| No | 27.6% | 74 | alternative |
Which mental-health support provisions are offered?
Base: 267 organisations · more than one answer allowed
| Answer | % of base | Organisations |
|---|---|---|
| MH first aiders | 53.6% | 143 |
| Counselling | 43.4% | 116 |
| Digital app | 39.0% | 104 |
| Manager training | 29.6% | 79 |
| MH days | 13.9% | 37 |
| None | 12.4% | 33 |
Is there a documented wellbeing strategy, and how often reviewed?
Base: 267 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No strategy | 43.8% | 117 | common |
| Ad hoc | 25.8% | 69 | alternative |
| Annual | 23.6% | 63 | alternative |
| >Annual | 6.7% | 18 | rare |
What is your annual wellbeing budget per employee (£)?
Base: 124 organisations · "Not applicable" excluded from base
Median 102 · 25th percentile 50 · 75th percentile 145.75 · range 25 to 300 £ per employee
Do you offer health screening or health assessments?
Base: 267 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 58.1% | 155 | common |
| Yes | 41.9% | 112 | alternative |
Which wellbeing/health data do you actively track (absence rates, PMI claims, wellbeing scores, EAP utilisation)?
Base: 267 organisations · more than one answer allowed
| Answer | % of base | Organisations |
|---|---|---|
| Absence rates | 51.7% | 138 |
| None | 31.8% | 85 |
| EAP utilisation | 28.8% | 77 |
| PMI claims | 18.7% | 50 |
| Wellbeing scores | 13.9% | 37 |
What proportion of people managers have completed mental-health awareness training?
Base: 262 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | 68.7% | 180 | common |
| Under 25% | 13.7% | 36 | rare |
| 25-75% | 11.1% | 29 | rare |
| Over 75% | 6.5% | 17 | rare |
Is there a documented financial wellbeing strategy beyond ad hoc provision?
Base: 267 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documented strategy | 41.6% | 111 | common |
| No | 36.7% | 98 | alternative |
| Ad hoc provision | 21.7% | 58 | alternative |
Can employees draw part of their pay before payday (earned wage access)?
Base: 267 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 66.7% | 178 | common |
| Yes hourly/frontline only | 15.7% | 42 | rare |
| Yes all eligible | 15.0% | 40 | rare |
| Piloting | 2.6% | 7 | rare |
If employees can draw pay early, who pays the provider's fees?
Base: 89 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer-funded (free to employee) | 75.3% | 67 | common |
| Employee pays per transaction | 16.9% | 15 | rare |
| Subscription model | 7.9% | 7 | rare |
Is there a limit on how much pay employees can draw before payday?
Base: 89 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No cap | 55.1% | 49 | common |
| Yes — up to 50% of accrued pay | 39.3% | 35 | alternative |
| Yes — another limit | 5.6% | 5 | rare |
Do you provide access to independent debt advice or a money-guidance service?
Base: 265 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 69.1% | 183 | common |
| Yes funded | 19.6% | 52 | rare |
| Signposted (e.g. MaPS) | 11.3% | 30 | rare |
Do you provide one-to-one financial coaching or advice (beyond pensions)?
Base: 264 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 64.4% | 170 | common |
| Subsidised | 13.6% | 36 | rare |
| Yes funded advice | 12.5% | 33 | rare |
| Workshops only | 9.5% | 25 | rare |
Do you offer payroll-deducted loans or an internal hardship fund?
Base: 265 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 61.5% | 163 | common |
| Payroll-deducted loan scheme | 19.2% | 51 | rare |
| Internal hardship fund | 11.3% | 30 | rare |
| Both | 7.9% | 21 | rare |
Do you offer a workplace savings vehicle alongside the pension (e.g. workplace ISA, sidecar savings, credit union payroll deduction)?
Base: 265 organisations · more than one answer allowed
| Answer | % of base | Organisations |
|---|---|---|
| None | 74.0% | 196 |
| Workplace ISA/GIA | 13.6% | 36 |
| Credit union payroll deduction | 7.9% | 21 |
| Sidecar/emergency savings | 7.5% | 20 |
Which cost-of-living interventions have you made in the last 24 months?
Base: 264 organisations · more than one answer allowed
| Answer | % of base | Organisations |
|---|---|---|
| One-off payments | 41.7% | 110 |
| None | 35.2% | 93 |
| Targeted low-earner uplift | 13.3% | 35 |
| Subsidies (meals/travel) | 11.4% | 30 |
Do you provide free or subsidised meals for staff?
Base: 265 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 72.1% | 191 | common |
| Free | 15.5% | 41 | rare |
| Subsidised | 12.5% | 33 | rare |
Do you offer season ticket or commuting loans?
Base: 262 organisations
| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 80.2% | 210 | common |
| Yes | 19.8% | 52 | rare |
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David Whitfield, Wellbeing and financial wellbeing: UK benchmark 2026. lumi, collection window 2026 H1. https://lumihr.co.uk/research/wellbeing-financial-wellbeing-2026Last reviewed 20 September 2026 · Figures describe organisations in the lumi reward benchmark, not a random sample of UK employers. Every figure on this page states the question asked and the number of organisations that answered it.