Younger adults more open to blending NHS and private healthcare

Further evidence of a shift in attitude towards private healthcare among younger adults has emerged after new research from Benenden Health found those aged 18–34 are increasingly open to combining NHS and private healthcare services.

The not-for-profit provider found that 51% of adults aged 18–34 have already used, or would consider using, a health and wellbeing membership.

The findings also reveal a generational shift in how people approach their health needs, with 18–34‑year‑olds reporting higher confidence in the NHS than older groups, while simultaneously being the most likely to consider private healthcare products and services.

Over a third (34%) of younger adults surveyed believe the NHS can meet all their health needs, compared with 22% of those aged 35–54 and 29% of those aged 55 and over. Yet this same group is also the most open to exploring private healthcare, with 51% finding private health cover appealing and 50% saying they would consider using the private sector if NHS waiting times were long.

This contrasts sharply with older adults, who are more likely to rely on the NHS first but less likely to explore private alternatives. Just 14% of over‑55s say they would prefer to use the private sector for their health needs, compared with 32% of younger adults.

Benenden Health said the findings indicate that younger adults are more willing to combine NHS and private services to access care.

CEO Tom Woolgrove (pictured) said: ‘Younger adults are redefining what they expect from healthcare in the UK. They continue to value the NHS deeply, but they’re also more open to complementing it with private options that offer speed, convenience and proactive support. This generation is signalling a shift towards a more blended model of care, where people feel empowered to choose the route that quickly and easily gets them help when they need it.

‘We strongly believe a blended private-NHS partnership model, leveraging the strengths of different healthcare providers, will best meet the needs of the UK population, and can materially improve current waiting list performance.