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GRiD urges employers to let their staff know about mental health support for young people within group risk protection benefits ahead of World Mental Health Day 10 October

Press release 8 October 2018.

As World Mental Health Day focuses on the needs of young people this year, GRiD, the trade body for the group risk industry wants to highlight the support that’s available for young people within group risk protection products (employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness benefits).

Support for mental health is wide ranging and often added within group risk protection products and is incredibly comprehensive. It can include a clinical assessment by mental health specialists, diagnosis, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy as well as other specialist help.

When young people struggle with their mental health it can often impact other members of the family, so support can also be accessed by siblings and parents too.

Young people’s needs

Young people can experience stress that’s quite specific to them. This can include pressures associated with social media; in education – at least 95 university students took their own lives in the last academic year*.  The good news is that young people have been shown to access support when they know it’s available - Employee Assistance Programmes can often have a high usage rate among the young; especially relevant to new recruits to help them transition from tertiary education into the start of their working lives and careers.

No extra cost

Traditionally, group risk products have been bought by employers purely to provide financial support to employees and their families in times of ill-health, disability or death. But the world of group risk has moved on, there is now a bigger focus on prevention and rehabilitation - with a much greater emphasis on emotional support, adding more value to a company and its employees.

Such benefits are often added at no extra cost, and there’s no extra cost to use them either. It’s also possible for all staff to access the mental health support, not just those that are insured. For instance, some companies may provide group risk benefits to selected members of staff, and may believe the added-value benefits such as support for mental health can only be accessed by them, but this is not necessarily the case; often they can actually be accessed by all employees, and providers actively encourage proactive and regular use of the benefits.

Further, employees don’t have to make a claim to access the benefits – they can be accessed by all employees even if a claim is never made.

GRiD wants to raise awareness of the extra support that’s available for young people and is urging employers to publicise this to their staff and encourage its use.

Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, says: ‘The repercussions of young people dealing with poor mental health are far-reaching. It can be difficult for them to access support independently, and difficult for parents to know how to help them or get support themselves. Siblings too, can struggle.

‘The mental health support that’s available via group risk protection products is, quite simply, fantastic. It is also incredibly good value.

‘It’s important that organisations know that support is available for their employees and their dependants, and that they encourage them to access it. People need to know support is available before they need it, so if and when they do need it, they know how to get help.”

  • Ends -

*https://papyrus-uk.org/suicide-safer-universities/

For further information please contact:

Sharon Mason 
SMUK Marketing and PR
smason@smuk.org.uk 
Mob: 07747 611773
Land: 01252 843350

Katharine Moxham
Spokesperson for GRiD
Katharine.moxham@grouprisk.org.uk
Mob: 07887 512508

Notes for editors

About GRiD

Group Risk Development (GRiD) is the industry body for the group risk protection sector, promoting the value to UK businesses of providing financial protection for their staff, enhancing their wellbeing and improving employee engagement. Our membership includes insurers, reinsurers and intermediaries who have a collective wealth of experience built over years of operating in the group risk protection market. Under the chairmanship of Steve Bridger (MD Group Protection, Corporate, Aviva UK Life), GRiD aims to promote group risk through a collective voice to Government, policymakers, stakeholders and employers.

GRiD works with government departments and regulators involved in legislation and regulation affecting group risk benefits, and with other organisations involved in the benefits and financial protection arenas. GRiD also seeks to enhance the industry's standing by encouraging best practice and by participating in industry-wide initiatives such as the professional qualification in group risk managed jointly with the Chartered Insurance Institute.

GRiD’s media activity aims to generate a wider awareness and understanding of group risk products and their benefits for employers and employees.

GRiD's dedicated spokesperson, Katharine Moxham, provides expert media comment on a full range of group risk issues.

www.grouprisk.org.uk

Follow Katharine Moxham on Twitter @KMoxham

 

 

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