Cost pressures forcing patients to delay care

More than one in five UK adults have needed urgent medical attention after ignoring early symptoms, according to new research from Bupa.

The findings, based on a survey of 8,002 UK adults for the 2026 Bupa Wellbeing Index, showed that 51% had found it harder to prioritise their health and wellbeing due to the rising cost of living. At the same time, 24% of respondents said delaying treatment because of financial pressures had made their condition worse.

Work pressures are also causing people to put off seeking care, with 56% of employed respondents saying they had delayed getting help for a physical or mental health concern because they did not want to take time off work.

The survey found 57% of employed respondents continued working when exhausted and 41% had worked through illness rather than taking sick leave.

More than seven in ten (71%) said they had gone to work while struggling with their mental health and a third were worried that taking time off for health reasons could affect their career.

Poor health is also affecting people’s ability to remain in work. Among those who had been employed during the previous 12 months, 24% said their mental health had been a key factor in leaving a job, compared with 18% who cited their physical health.

Dr Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the Health Foundation, said: ‘The pressures people face in their daily lives can make it harder to prioritise their health, seek support early and stay well.

‘This year’s Bupa Wellbeing Index report highlights the close links between health, work and financial security, and the importance of creating conditions that make it easier for people to stay healthy.’

She added that prevention and early intervention, alongside healthier working lives, should be part of the response, supported by public services and employers.

The findings come as employers place increasing focus on workplace health amid concerns over sickness absence, staff retention and economic inactivity.

Half of the business leaders surveyed by Bupa said employees were citing wellbeing as a primary reason for leaving, and 42% said this had increased over the past 12 months.

Almost nine in ten (86%) agreed that delaying healthcare ultimately affected workplace productivity.

The findings follow Bupa’s Healthy Workforce, Healthy Economy report, published in April, which estimated private healthcare provision reduces demand on NHS services by around £4.2bn a year.

Bupa Global, India & UK CEO Chris Carroll said financial pressures and competing demands were causing people to put their health on hold, resulting in delays to diagnosis and treatment.

‘The consequences are felt not only by individuals, but also across workplaces and the wider economy, as health issues become more complex to treat, recovery takes longer and people struggle to stay well and in work,’ he said.

Carroll said employers were increasingly investing in workplace health to support employee wellbeing as well as staff retention and productivity.

He called for government, employers and healthcare providers to work together to improve access to care and increase the focus on prevention and earlier intervention.