The Government recently published its Keep Britain Working report following an independent review led by Sir Charlie Mayfield. The message was clear, there needs to be a greater focus on prevention, early support, and better returns to work, helping more people stay in employment and boosting inclusion across the UK.
This has helped set the scene for what we believe will be a core issue for 2026 - businesses will need to play a more active role in employees’ health. This is a reset in terms of how health is handled in the workplace. Employee health is no longer simply down to the individual and the NHS. It must become a true partnership between employers, employees, health providers and insurers.
We have been banging this drum for some time, because it’s exactly how better outcomes are achieved for employees with cancer.
Cancer is a growing area of concern for employers and the UK Government, currently costing the UK an estimated £7.54 - £11.6bn a year in lost productivity. Incidence is trending younger, with the number of people under 50 being diagnosed with cancer in the UK having risen 24% in two decades. The number of adults aged 25 – 49 being diagnosed with bowel cancer has increased by 22% in the UK in recent years. Cancers linked to diet and lifestyle are appearing 10-15 years earlier than a generation ago. It is no longer a preserve of the elderly.
National Cancer Plan
The NHS cancer service remains under significant pressure as it continues to try and meet the three key standards of faster diagnosis, 62 day referral to treatment and the 31 day decision to treat cancer. The latest figures available show all these targets were missed for September. And it’s clear the UK lags behind many other peer countries.
The long-awaited National Cancer Plan will set out how the UK Government plans to help put the NHS back at the forefront of global cancer care. Will it deliver fresh thinking? Let’s hope so, because we clearly need it. The 62 day target, even if met, is still too long compared to other countries. Screening and early detection make a huge difference to outcomes but we need to extend the reach. How do we save the NHS money and meet all the needs of the people travelling the cancer pathway? It starts with continual investment in diagnostics, making key areas like prehab become the norm. Add to that, digitalisation of how the cancer pathway is navigated and managed and - in time not only would the NHS save money, but far more people would be working. At the moment, too many people with cancer face ongoing income loss, with almost half (48%) altering their work patterns and 53% facing a significant income decline, especially outside London.
With a steep rise in cancer in those aged under 50, it means those that are impacted are often in their prime – of careers, earning potential, relationships and making big life decisions around home ownership, marriages, and children for example. Cancer puts this on hold, and the increasing reality is that many of those impacted want to work, in some way, through treatment, or to return as soon as they can.
Group claims in 2026
Group cancer claims will rise in 2026, that is an undeniable fact, because cancer remains the leading cause of claims across group risk (and individual) protection policies. These claims can all be significantly reduced. Detecting cancer sooner shortens treatment times and significantly improves survival rates. For example nine in ten people diagnosed with bowel cancer will survive if diagnosed at stage one, compared with just one in ten at stage four. In turn, this reduces employee absences, while easing financial pressure on the NHS and pressure on employers.
All of this is set against a backdrop of individual and household financial pressure continuing to rise next year with high prices, potential tax increases, and stagnant real wage growth. Insurers and advisers are under pressure too, as they await the full impact of the FCA’s findings into its protection market review.
There is a lot to contend with. However, we know that the number of employees living with cancer continues to grow, and employers and insurers can help deliver better outcomes.
Developments in innovation and tech navigation mean low cost, high impact, CQC regulated solutions are now available. Cancer doesn’t have to be the burden it has been. Earlier detection, faster access to treatment can rewrite what cancer looks like. Will 2026 be the year that this message really hits home? Let’s hope so.
