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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Denis Campbell Health policy editor

Almost one in eight Britons now has private medical insurance, say healthcare analysts

People sitting and standing in a reception area
People wait to be seen in an NHS hospital reception. The total value of all medical and dental cover reached a record £7.59bn by the end of 2023, up from £6.76bn in 2022. Photograph: Lankowsky/Alamy

Almost one in eight Britons now has medical insurance – the highest proportion since 2008 – with NHS care delays driving a rise in people using private healthcare.

The number of people covered by a private medical insurance policy hit a record high of 4.68 million at the end of 2023, according to private healthcare analysts LaingBuisson.

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