Health Shield

What Health Shield does

Health Shield Friendly Society Limited is a UK-licensed workplace health provider specialising in health cash plans, with operations dating to 1877 and a head office in Crewe, Cheshire. The company offers subscription-based employee benefit policies that reimburse everyday healthcare costs including dental, optical, and physiotherapy treatments, distributed primarily through direct sales to UK employers and a broker/intermediary channel. As of 2025 the company serves 5,200+ business customers and 480,000+ members and their families, having paid back more than £42m in claims during the year, with 20,000+ virtual GP appointments and 10,000+ EAP helpline calls recorded.

The core health cash plan is complemented by a suite of add-on wellbeing services: GP Anytime (24/7 virtual GP), Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 counselling), SkinVision, PERKS employee discounts, MyGymDiscounts, Online Health Assessments, and Home Assistance. The company also provides Workplace Health Checks across four tiers (Engage, Inspire, Enlighten, Reassure) along with Wellbeing Consultancy and Workplace Training. All member-facing services are accessed through the Breeze Health Wellbeing mobile app on iOS and Android and a member web portal.

Health Shield operates as an incorporated friendly society under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (PRA reference 205304), and is ISO 27001 certified for information security. Leadership comprises CEO Jacqui Carr and Chairman Alison Alden. The company employs 101-250 people and operates solely within the United Kingdom, distributing via direct employer sales, broker partnerships, and self-serve member digital channels.

Name

Health Shield

Legal name

Health Shield Friendly Society Limited

Website

https://healthshield.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Health Shield Friendly Society Limited is a UK-regulated workplace health provider offering subscription health cash plans and supplementary wellbeing services (virtual GP, EAP, health checks, discounts) to employers, brokers, and 480,000+ members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Insurance

NAICS

Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers (524114)

SIC

Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Wellness & Population Health Programs (HLAEAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Primary Care & General Medicine Virtual Care (Employer-Sponsored) (HLALADAA)

Keywords

• Health cash plans
• Employee health benefits
• Workplace wellbeing
• Virtual GP services
• Employee assistance programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Crewe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Health Cash Plans: Subscription-based employee health benefit policies that provide reimbursements for everyday healthcare costs including dental, optical, and physiotherapy treatments. Employers offer these plans as part of their employee benefits package, with employees paying premiums and claiming back eligible healthcare expenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Health Shield is a UK health cash plan provider that offers employer-sponsored policies reimbursing employees for everyday healthcare costs such as dental, optical, and physiotherapy. The core Health Cash Plan is bundled with a suite of supplementary wellbeing benefits including a 24/7 virtual GP service (GP Anytime), an Employee Assistance Programme with counselling, and lifestyle perks. The offering is delivered to UK employers either directly or via brokers, and members access their plans through the Breeze mobile app and online portal.

Product overview

Health Shield operates as a health cash plan provider in the UK employee benefits market, offering a core Health Cash Plan product that reimburses employees for everyday healthcare costs (dental, optical, physiotherapy). This core offering is complemented by a suite of supplementary digital wellbeing services including GP Anytime (24/7 virtual GP), Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 counselling), SkinVision, PERKS discounts, MyGymDiscounts, Online Health Assessments, and Home Assistance. The company also provides Wellbeing Services including Workplace Health Checks (offered in tiers: Engage, Inspire, Enlighten, Reassure), Wellbeing Consultancy, and Workplace Training. All services are accessible via the Breeze Health Wellbeing mobile app for iOS and Android.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Breeze: Mobile app platform for members to access and manage their health cash plan membership

Products and services

• Health Cash Plans Subscription-based employee benefit policies that reimburse employees for everyday healthcare costs including dental, optical, and physiotherapy treatments. Offered to UK employers as part of their workplace benefits package.
• GP Anytime 24/7 virtual GP service bundled with Health Cash Plans, allowing members to book online appointments with a general practitioner whenever needed.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) 24/7 counselling and support programme providing personal assistance for employees facing personal or work-related challenges.
• SkinVision Skin health checking service that helps members monitor and assess skin conditions.
• PERKS Employee discount and perks programme offering exclusive deals and savings for members.
• MyGymDiscounts Gym membership discount programme giving members access to fitness facilities at reduced rates.
• Online Health Assessments Digital health assessment tools allowing members to evaluate their health status and wellbeing online.
• Home Assistance Emergency home assistance service providing support for household emergencies for members.
• Workplace Health Checks On-site workplace health check services for businesses providing a comprehensive view of employee wellbeing, offered in tiers (Engage, Inspire, Enlighten, Reassure) plus enhancement tests.
• Wellbeing Consultancy Professional consultancy services helping organisations develop and implement workplace wellbeing strategies.
• Workplace Training Training programmes designed to promote positive health and wellbeing practices in the workforce.
• Breeze Health Wellbeing Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling members to access and manage their health cash plan, submit claims, access wellness services, and view health-related content on the go.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £42m paid back to members in 2025 for everyday healthcare costs
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Unum UK: Unum UK provides group protection (income protection, critical illness, life) and employee wellbeing services via UK employers and brokers. It is an adjacent rather than directly competing player, competing for the same employer benefits wallet share that Health Shield targets.

Broad incumbents

• Bupa UK: Bupa is the largest UK private health insurer and also offers corporate health cash plans, EAP and virtual GP services as part of a much broader health portfolio. It competes with Health Shield on the cash plan and wellbeing side, but at materially greater scale and broader scope.
• Vitality Health: Vitality is a major UK private medical insurer with an integrated wellness and rewards proposition including gym discounts and health assessments. It overlaps with Health Shield's add-on services and competes for employer wellbeing budgets.
• WPA (Western Provident Association): WPA is a UK not-for-profit private health insurer offering individual and corporate health cover. While focused on PMI rather than cash plans, it competes for UK employer health benefits spend and overlaps with Health Shield in the mid-market employer segment.
• Aviva UK Health: Aviva provides UK group private medical insurance, group protection and employee benefits through brokers and direct sales. It competes with Health Shield for UK employer health benefits budgets via a much broader insurance portfolio.
• The Exeter: The Exeter is a UK private health insurer offering individual and corporate PMI alongside health and wellbeing cover. It competes with Health Shield in the UK employer health benefits market via brokers, though its core is full PMI rather than cash plans.

Direct peers

• Paycare: Paycare is a UK not-for-profit Friendly Society providing health cash plans and wellbeing services to employers and individuals. It competes with Health Shield for UK employer-sponsored cash plan business, particularly in the SME and mid-market segments.
• SimplyHealth: SimplyHealth is the UK's largest health cash plan provider, offering cash plans, dental, optical and physiotherapy reimbursements, alongside wellbeing services. It directly competes with Health Shield for UK employer-sponsored cash plan business via both direct sales and brokers.
• Westfield Health: Westfield Health is a UK not-for-profit provider of health cash plans and corporate wellbeing products, including virtual GP and EAP services. It competes with Health Shield in the UK employer-sponsored cash plan market, particularly in the public sector and mid-market.
• Medicash: Medicash is a UK health cash plan provider owned by a Friendly Society, offering employer- and individual-funded cash plans for dental, optical and wellbeing benefits. It is a direct like-for-like competitor to Health Shield in the UK cash plan category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/health-shield-friendly-society-ltd
• Xx.com/HealthShieldUK

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Health Shield