When your wait on the NHS is over 3 weeks for medical diagnosis and over 5 weeks for medical treatment and surgery (6 month qualifying period, limits and exclusions apply)
£11.50 a month, no exclusions for pre-existing conditions on joining
While the NHS provides a great service, increasing pressure on NHS budgets means that demand for services can outstrip the resources. This can lead to significant waiting lists for both diagnosis and treatment and could impact on your quality of life and long-term health.
Most people have to rely on the NHS alone, not many can afford to pay for expensive private medical insurance. Benenden Health provides a third way because we complement the NHS, we can provide healthcare for just £11.50 a month - a low cost alternative to Private Medical Insurance.
We help our members to avoid the worry and complications that waiting can often bring complementing the good work of the NHS by providing our members with speedy access to medical experts, and when the need arises, opening the door to private medical care in cases where they would face a lengthy wait for an NHS diagnosis or treatment.
We are not a medical insurer and our services are offered on a discretionary basis. The services we offer are subject to the resources we have available through membership contributions. We manage these funds and the services we provide carefully to ensure that we can continue to provide our healthcare support.
As soon as you join, you have 24/7 access to our 24/7 GP Helpline and Mental Health Helpline. Then, once you’ve had membership for six months, our healthcare can help remove the need for an anxious or difficult wait. You can request our assistance if your NHS appointment is over 3 weeks for Medical Diagnostics or over 5 weeks for Medical Treatment and Surgery.
This is particularly helpful in cases where a quick diagnosis is required, or the wait for treatment might significantly affect your quality of life.
The NHS provide speedy care for cancer, brain and heart disease, which are among the areas we don’t provide treatment for. Instead we use our members’ contributions to pay for healthcare that complements the NHS, making our healthcare a much more affordable alternative.
Benenden Health offers an affordable alternative to private health insurance for just £11.50 a month. It couldn’t be easier to join Benenden Health because there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions on joining, and no excesses to pay. Everyone is accepted with no medicals required.
The benefits and services of our discretionary healthcare product may differ to other providers.
From day 1 members have the reassurance of convenient access to medical experts through 24/7 helplines for concerns about their physical or mental health.
Then, after just 6 months, members are able to request private diagnosis, treatment and physiotherapy.
Round the clock reassurance knowing you can speak to a qualified UK-based GP day or night. Call our helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to book an appointment for a telephone consultation or online eConsultation with a GP
Speak to an experienced therapist 24/7 for support in dealing with conditions like anxiety, depression, bereavement or relationship problems.
Information and advice about care issues including sourcing short or long-term care whether this is at home, residential, convalescent or respite.
Members receive our quarterly health and wellbeing magazine Be Healthy. In addition, members have access to discounts across a range of Benenden Health products and a wide range of discounts on holidays, shopping and other health and wellbeing products including Home, Travel, Cash Plan and Health Assessments.
We have a national network of over 500 facilities providing our members with access to diagnostics and tests. We can support your diagnostic costs up to the value of £1,800 when you proceed via one of the facilities or specialists that we propose.
Access to over 250 common procedures across medical specialities including orthopaedics and general surgery. All authorised treatment costs are directly settled in full by Benenden Health. We can provide treatment in one of our 26 approved hospitals.
Based on an assessment from a qualified physiotherapist, Benenden Health can offer guided self-management exercises supported by on-going telephone support and up to six face-to-face physiotherapy sessions.
Support ranging from guided self-help to face-to-face therapy for conditions such as stress, depression, anxiety and bereavement.
Financial support up to £1,500 to purchase a range of items that can assist members who have been diagnosed with cancer or tuberculosis.
No quotes, no excess – The price to join us is £11.50 per person, per month
No exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions on joining – All UK residents can join us regardless of their medical history
No commitment or annual contract – Benenden Health is here to help take worry away. So if at any point you decide that Benenden Health is not for you, you can cancel at any time.
Price – The monthly cost won’t increase due to age or usage but is reviewed annually.
Benenden Health is an affordable alternative to private health insurance. We are not a medical insurer. Our services are offered on a discretionary basis which means that the services we provide are subject to the resources we have available through membership contributions. This discretionary approach has served our membership well for more than 110 years.
There are two main reasons why:
By not replicating some of the excellent services that the NHS provide.
The NHS already provides speedy care for cancer, brain and heart disease so we don’t replicate these services but we can provide support to help you achieve a diagnosis for any symptom which you have been referred for by your NHS GP practice.
All membership fees are paid into a communal pot for the benefit of all members.
We manage our funds and the services we provide carefully to ensure that we can continue to provide assistance to members who require our support.
In the table below you'll find numbers for GP 24/7 and Mental Health helplines along with information on how to request our services for Medical Diagnostics and Medical Treatment and Surgery
Call 0800 414 8247 (Select option 1)
Call 0800 414 8247 (Select option 2)
If you have been a member for over 6 months, calling the helpline may allow you additional Psychological Wellbeing Support
Call 0800 414 8100
We can talk you through the financial, legal and practical aspects of arranging care should you need help arranging adult care for you, your spouse/partner or parents.
Call 0800 414 8100 if you have been referred by your NHS GP Practice and your NHS wait is over 3 weeks for Medical Diagnostics.
Have you been referred by your NHS GP Practice? If the answer is ‘NO’ you must contact your NHS Practice before you can request services
If you’ve been referred by your NHS GP Practice and your wait is 3 weeks and under, please wait for your NHS appointment
If you have been referred by your NHS GP Practice and your NHS wait is over 3 weeks please call us on 0800 414 8100 to request authorisation for your consultation or test
If your NHS GP is concerned that you may have cancer please wait for your NHS appointment as this will ensure you receive ongoing treatment or monitoring for your condition
Call 0800 414 8100 if you have been referred by your NHS GP Practice and your NHS wait is over 5 weeks for Medical Treatment and Surgery.
Call 0800 414 8100
Call 0800 414 8247 (select option 2)
Call 0800 414 8100
Simple anyone is accepted for the same price, no pre-existing conditions are excluded on joining
Smart we complement the great work of the NHS
Affordable at the low monthly fee of just £11.50
The affordable alternative to health insurance including diagnosis, over 250 types of surgery, physiotherapy, GP and Psychological Wellbeing 24/7 helplines
The Benenden Health way we were founded on the vision of many people joining together to help pay for medical care to support those in need
The table below highlights how we may differ to other healthcare providers, making Benenden Health the affordable alternative.
| Benenden Healthcare | |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | |
| Does everyone pay the same? | ✔ Yes, the price is £11.50 a month for our healthcare product |
| Do you provide access to diagnosis & treatment? | ✔ Yes. After six months of membership we will offer private diagnosis and 250 types of surgery if the NHS wait is over three weeks for a diagnosis or over five weeks for surgery |
| Do you provide cover for cancer or heart treatments? | ✘ We provide diagnosis for any condition, but we exclude the treatment of these conditions as the NHS provides great care here |
| Do you accept pre-existing medical conditions? | ✔ Yes, everyone is accepted. All UK residents can join Benenden Healthcare regardless of their medical history |
| Will there be any excesses to pay to access services? | ✔ No, there is no excess to pay. But you will be responsible for funding any costs incurred over £1,800 for a diagnosis |
| Is Benenden Healthcare insurance? | ✘ No, our services are offered on a discretionary basis |
We are an affordable alternative to health insurance. All of our services excluding treatment of tuberculosis (this service is provided on an insured basis) are offered on a discretionary basis.
Please read the Insurance Product Information Document to make sure Benenden Healthcare is suitable for you
This discretionary product meets the demands and needs of someone who is looking for access to healthcare services such as Medical Diagnostics, Medical Treatment and Surgery, Physiotherapy, 24/7 GP and mental health helplines. Our services are provided on a discretionary basis and are subject to the resources we have available and, in some cases, can be dependent on a GP referral, NHS wait times and the type of treatment required.
1. Benenden Health is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited. Benenden Healthcare is offered by The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, which is an incorporated friendly society, registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, registered number 480F. The Society's contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The remainder of the Society's business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. Financial Services Register number is 205351. You can verify this information on the FCA’s website at www.fca.org.uk/register.
2. We are not a private medical insurer. We provide healthcare services on a discretionary basis, except treatment for TB, which is a contractual service.
3. Membership is available to anyone over the age of 16 who is normally resident in the UK. Members can add friends and family to their membership regardless of their age.
4. The cost of membership is reviewed annually in June and any increase agreed by our delegate conference is implemented the following year.
5. Significant exclusions to our services are: appointments with dentists, opticians or complementary therapists; IVF treatment; breast, cosmetic, plastic, sterilisation, nerve, dental or maxillofacial surgery or surgery for transplants; surgery for arterial cardiac or complex orthopaedic problems.
6. Some of our services have a six-month qualifying period.
7. Service restrictions apply to members and nominated family and friends living outside the UK.
8. Members and nominated family and friends must call our Member Services Team on 0800 414 8100* for prior authorisation to make sure we can support the help required.
9. Members have 14 days from the day they receive their first membership pack and membership card after joining, to cancel their membership. If you do decide to cancel your membership, you can do so by writing to the Benenden Health Membership Team, Benenden Health, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. Alternatively, you can email us at memberrelations@benenden.co.uk or call 0800 414 8480**. Please include your membership number in all correspondence. Cancellations beyond the 14-day cancellation period will not result in reimbursement of contributions already paid, unless you have paid your membership contribution annually in advance, in which case we will reimburse you the cost of the number of full months remaining on your annual payment.
10. Membership will continue until such time as a member decides to cancel or until their membership contribution stops being paid. A member may cancel their membership at any time without incurring penalty charges. All cancellations will take effect, and payments will cease, at the end of the month in which the cancellation is received. If you have paid your membership contribution annually in advance and wish to cancel your membership, your membership will cease at the end of the month in which we receive your cancellation and we will reimburse you the cost of the number of full months remaining on your annual payment.
11. We do not provide advice to any new or existing member regarding the suitability or otherwise of Benenden Healthcare for that individual. If you are unsure about whether membership is suitable for you, you should seek independent advice.
12. Members may become actively involved in how the Society is run by attending branch meetings. If you work or have worked as a civil servant you can choose which branch you belong to. If you belong to one of our national branches but would prefer to join a branch nearer home, you can transfer to a local branch. Or if you have been allocated to a local branch but would prefer to re-join colleagues in a national branch, please let us know. You can e-mail thesecretary@benenden.co.uk or write to The Secretary, The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG.
13. If you wish to register a complaint about our service, please contact us. You can call us on 0800 414 8100*, email us at; complaints@benenden.co.uk, or write to us at; Customer Complaints Team, Benenden Health, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. If you cannot settle your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You can contact them at Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR or call 0300 123 9 123. Calls are free from mobiles and landlines. www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.
14. Our staff are salaried and may receive an annual bonus, but these are not directly dependent on you taking out Benenden Health membership.
15. This summary does not contain comprehensive information about us and our services. Please refer to any additional information we have provided. Our Rulebook and our Guide to Benenden Healthcare are available on our website www.benenden.co.uk or on request by calling 0800 414 8100*.
* Lines are open 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).
** Lines are open 8am – 8pm Monday to Thursday and 8am – 5pm Fridays (except bank holidays).
Please note that your call may be recorded for our mutual security and for training and quality purposes.
As a mutual community we’re committed to treating every member fairly. We aim to provide a range of discretionary services that
will help our members and to deliver them with care, compassion and understanding. This guide has been created to help outline who’s eligible to request our help, the range of services you can currently request and those services we're unable to help with.
We are a friendly society providing benefits from a discretionary fund. This means that the provision of services is subject to the resources we have available through membership contributions.
Benenden operates according to a rule book, which contains the Benenden Healthcare Society Limited’s memorandum and rules.
To access our diagnostic and treatment services you must have been a member of Benenden for more than six months.
If you would like to make changes to the way you pay or add additional persons to your membership please complete the appropriate forms.
If you're already a member you can make changes to your membership via My Benenden
Receive a £10 M&S Gift card plus a further £15 for every additional person you add to your membership
Join today and receive a £10 M&S gift card. Plus for every person you add to your membership at the point of join you’ll receive a further £15.
Offer ends 29th February 2020.
£10 when you join plus £15 for every additional person added to your membership at the point of join
All joiners must remain with the Society at the point the gift cards are sent
Gift cards will be sent within 52 days of the join date
No alternative to this promotion will be offered
Offer subject to availability. We reserve the right to withdraw or change this incentive at any time
Offer ends midnight 29th February 2020
Call us today on {{healthcare_number}} and one of our friendly UK based team will be able to answer any questions you may have.
Or request a call back at a time convenient for you.
It takes only a few minutes to sign up, no quote needed and everyone is accepted.
Medically reviewed by Cheryl Lythgoe on 19th December 2019. Next review date: 19th December 2020.
