GRiD published its annual group risk claims figures on 16 June 2026. The UK industry paid approximately GBP2.69 billion during 2025 across employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness cover. The release also reports that 5,590 employees absent through ill health were helped to return to work by the end of 2025.

The figures cover different products and should retain those distinctions. Income protection payments include new and existing claims, which can continue over several years. Return-to-work figures concern employees within the reported arrangements, not all workers in the United Kingdom. They describe recorded outcomes and support activity; they do not by themselves establish what would have happened without the benefits.

Read protection and service together For an employer reviewing group risk provision, the figures invite a discussion about both financial payments and embedded support. This editor recommends asking the provider to explain the services available under the organisation’s own contract. Employees and managers need practical information about access, eligibility and the appropriate route for obtaining help.

The same review can identify how the provider’s support connects with the employer’s absence processes. Responsibilities should be understandable without requiring a manager to interpret an insurance contract during a difficult case. A written process can set out the relevant contacts and escalation arrangements while respecting the boundaries between employment management and clinical decisions.

Use the denominators carefully An employer dashboard should distinguish people receiving interventions, claims in payment, new claims and returns to work. Combining these into one number can obscure the purpose of each measure. Reports should identify the period covered and explain whether an outcome relates to a new absence or an existing claim.

Comparisons also need consistent definitions. A year-on-year movement may reflect the timing of claims, the population covered or the composition of benefits. Benefits teams should request enough context to assess those differences before describing a result as evidence of improvement. An industry total cannot replace information about the employer’s own insured population.

The release is a useful reminder that group risk benefits have an operational role as well as a financial one. Reviewing both roles can help employers communicate the protection they purchase and assess service delivery. The objective is a clear account of what employees can access and a disciplined interpretation of the outcomes reported.

Sources: Source de référence