Legal & General’s research shows that Britain’s four biggest critical illnesses take more than £15bn a year out of the UK economy.

The numbers speak for themselves

  • Cancer – £9.3bn
  • Coronary Heart Disease – £2.8bn
  • Strokes – £1.9bn
  • Multiple Sclerosis – £1.1bn

The long-term effects of Critical Illness

Cancer’s largest impact comes from premature death (£5.2bn), but more than a fifth of the financial impact (around £2.1bn) is linked to employees still in work but being affected by things like fatigue and post-traumatic stress.[1] Then take MS. Although less common in the UK workforce, it has a £1.14bn impact on the economy. It also has potential to cause up to £8,000 in lost earnings in the years following diagnosis.[1]

Read the full article here, take a look at our ‘The impact of critical illnesses’ infographic.

Legal & General recently enhanced their Critical Illness Extra (CIx) and Children’s Critical Illness Extra (CCIx) offering, by increased additional payments and improved definitions for heart attack and dementia.

These enhancements are part of their aim to have a product set designed for Intermediaries, allowing you to recommend a wide range of benefits and options to meet your customer’s needs.

Learn more about Legal & General’s Critical Illness Cover.


[1] The impact of critical illnesses on the UK economy, Cebr, p.9