A quarter (23%) of UK businesses do not offer any form of emotional or practical support to employees if they are diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer or heart disease, according to research* revealed by GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector.

Of those who do offer support, the most prevalent types of provision are a phased return to work plan (43%) and emotional support, such as counselling (42%). Other common forms of support offered include:

• practical support, such as access to rehabilitation (35%)
• line manager training (28%)
• access to medical specialists such as oncologists (27%)
• access to a second medical opinion (23%)
• employer pays for treatment (21%)
• physiotherapy (17%)

However, when asked about what support they believe their employer might offer them should they be absent through ill health, of those employees who thought they would have support over and above Statutory Sick Pay, only 7% thought they’d be given access to counselling and just 3% thought their employer would offer physio. The reality of what employers make available in practice is much higher than the expectation of employees – a clear opportunity for employers to improve their communications.

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