UKEBA’s founding members – Black Hawk Network (BHN), Electric Car Scheme (ECS), Tusker, Reward Gateway Edenred, Each Person, ISIO, Widerplan, Pluxee, and Zest – provide workplace benefits to more than 20 million employees and support around 100,000 UK employers. Workplace benefits range from pensions and financial protection to health and wellbeing support, discounts, rewards and initiatives aimed at encouraging more sustainable transport through increased cycling and electric vehicle adoption.
UKEBA will make the case for workplace benefits as an important part of the UK’s economic growth and workforce infrastructure – helping people make their money go further, stay healthy and build financial security, while giving employers practical ways to attract, retain and support their workforce.
The Alliance’s immediate priorities will be calling on Government to expand the remit of the Minister for the Future of Work to include workplace benefits, reward and wellbeing, working closely with the Minister for Employment in the Department for Work and Pensions. Wider priorities will be working with Government protect established workplace benefit arrangements and identifying new ways workplace support can help deliver wider economic and social priorities. With the Autumn Budget approaching, the Alliance will call for a stable tax and policy environment, with any future reforms informed by evidence and meaningful engagement with employers, providers and employees
Workplace benefits respond to the needs of the UK’s workforce in different ways. Discounts, savings and rewards can ease pressure on household budgets; pensions help people save for the future; financial protection provides support when the unexpected happens; and health and wellbeing benefits help people stay healthy and in work. Cycle to Work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes can also make healthier and more sustainable travel more accessible.
Their impact reaches further still. By helping employees’ money go further, workplace benefits can support local businesses and high streets and generate economic activity in communities across the country. For example, recent research by Ortus Economic Research estimates that around 70% of reward spending goes to local shops, restaurants and service providers*.
For employers facing rising employment costs, increased National Minimum Wage (NMW) and employer National Insurance Contribution (NIC) costs, these benefits provide another way to invest in and reward their employees. This supports recruitment, retention and productivity* at a time when businesses are under pressure to manage costs and contribute to growth.
Terry O’Reardon, Chair of UKEBA, said:
“Employee benefits positively impact the lives of millions of working people, but their contribution is much bigger than is often recognised. They help households manage their finances, stay healthy and in work, and help businesses recruit and retain the people they need.
“At a time when the country needs to improve living standards and productivity, we should be making it easier for employers to invest in their people, not harder.
“That is why we have created UKEBA. We want to bring the sector’s experience and evidence to the table, working constructively with policymakers and employers, to ensure workplace benefits can play their full part in supporting working people, creating stronger businesses and driving economic growth.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About UKEBA
The UK Employee Benefits Alliance (UKEBA) is the collective voice of the UK employee benefits sector. Its members work with around 100,000 employers and provide workplace benefits to over 20 million employees across the UK. UKEBA champions the value of workplace benefits and supports a healthier, more financially secure and productive workforce.
*GCVA / Ortus Economic Research Socioeconomic Assessment of the Trivial Benefits Allowance.
**Employers can see a 10-12% increase in individual productivity among happier employees, while teams and business units can see an 18% boost in productivity and a 21% increase in profitability when happiness improves. Edenred Reward Gateway, The Happiness Dividend, May 2026.
