"Behind every statistic is a person, a family, a story of uncertainty, and it presents a clear need for individuals to have the right type of protection in place to safeguard them."
- Phil Jeynes, head of individual protection at MetLife UK
Of those surveyed (3,001), the most common reason for hospital admission in England were falls, trips, and bumps (466,938), which have seen a 3.08% increase year-on-year.
This is followed by poisonings (82,820), transport accidents (61,069), domestic or work accidents (59,742), and allergies, bites or stings (22,303).
Compared to 2024, allergies, bites or strings saw the sharpest increase at 20.03%, while domestic or work accidents and transport accidents rose by 7.93% and 2.29%, respectively.
Meanwhile, poisonings have reduced in frequency by 2.89% year-on-year.
“Just a year on from our first ‘Everyday Risk’ Report, we’ve seen the number of injuries and hospital admissions increase as a result of everyday accidents. Even falls or trips, the most common everyday cause behind hospital admissions, are overlooked as a major risk in people’s lives,” explained Phil Jeynes, head of individual protection at MetLife UK (pictured).
To provide a comprehensive analysis of the nation’s health and protection gap, MetLife UK married existing data with research into how many people have suffered injuries from accidents and experienced serious illness.
Worryingly, two in five (42%) were found to have suffered an injury that saw them admitted to hospital for at least 24 hours.
The most common type of injury was a broken bone (45%), followed by a muscle or ligament tear (20%), concussion (16%), or the loss of use in a joint (8%).
The most common type of injury was a broken bone (45%), followed by a muscle or ligament tear (20%), concussion (16%), or the loss of use in a joint (8%). These injuries were the result of tripping or falling over (36%), sporting activities like running or football (23%), or falling down the stairs (17%).
Despite the risks associated with everyday accidents, only 10% of adults have an accident and sickness policy which would provide financial support should they face ill-health or injury.
Phil highlighted that it’s “striking” how many people are still not appropriately protected against these risks; “Behind every statistic is a person, a family, a story of uncertainty, and it presents a clear need for individuals to have the right type of protection in place to safeguard them.”
“Providing a reliable financial safety net that can support them and their loved ones when life takes an unexpected turn, helps ease the financial strain and lets people recover and deal with the things that matter most,” he concluded.
