Employee Assistance Programme option

Small business

Help for when the everyday doesn’t go to plan

get a quote
Call us on 0800 389 7413*

Employee Assistance Programme

A family break-up. Difficulty with depression. Struggles with debt. Your employees bring so much more to work over and above themselves and the skills you employed them for. And, while some things they can manage, others might seem too much to cope with. 

With an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in place, they can get help with the things that are affecting them right from the start – before their everyday stresses begin to influence their wellbeing and productivity.

An EAP can have a number of benefits for your business and your team. For your employees, it can be reassuring to know that they have someone to speak to, no matter what is on their mind. It can also show your commitment to supporting their mental health and wellbeing, which can help with staff retention and productivity. Providing support through an EAP can also help to reduce the amount of absenteeism within your business, as your team is able to access help and support quickly.

Our EAP cover option is only available as part of a healthcare cover plan when chosen with at least one other cover option.

Support for life’s everyday challenges

  • Know that your people have mental health practitioners to talk to confidentially, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  • Remote support for everyday worries, including fast access to fully qualified mental health professionals just a phone call away or online, with no GP referral needed.
  • Support for the everyday challenges your employees face, including financial, legal, home and family issues such as debt, buying a house, childcare provision and divorce.
  • Guide your teams to online help including practical, medical and wellbeing guides.
  • Increase the level of benefits your employees receive with EAP Premier by including up to 8 sessions or therapy.

An investment in team wellbeing

Employee assistance programme

Julia’s accountancy business has eight employees. She’s always aimed for an open and honest culture within her team and likes to think that her staff will talk to her when things aren’t adding up in their personal lives. However, Julia knows that there are many things that people find it hard to talk about with someone they know, let alone with their employer. And she knows that the demands of running a small business sometimes take their toll on her, too. 

Julia has an Employee Assistance Programme included as part of her small business healthcare cover. Her staff have someone independent to talk to about their worries and concerns. And she can also reach out when she needs to.

Choose from two levels of cover

EAP Essentials

  • Remote support for everyday worries: including fast access to fully qualified mental health professionals just a phone call away or through online chat, with no GP referral needed.

  • Online help when you need it: information and guidance on a variety of practical, medical and wellbeing topics through our online portal.

  • Help with home and work life: practical, impartial information for home and family issues, as well as financial and legal matters such as dealing with debt, buying a house or your consumer rights, through our LifeManagementTM service.

  • Support for your managers: to help them to meet day-to-day team challenges.

EAP Premier

  • Remote support for everyday worries: including fast access to fully qualified mental health professionals just a phone call away or through online chat, with no GP referral needed.

  • Face-to-face counselling: up to eight face-to face (or remote) sessions with a clinical specialist for each employee, if required.


  • Online help when you need it: information and guidance on a variety of practical, medical and wellbeing topics through our online portal.

  • Help with home and work life: practical, impartial information for home and family issues, as well as financial and legal matters such as dealing with debt, buying a house or your consumer rights, through our LifeManagementTM service.

  • Support for your managers: to help them to meet day-to-day team challenges.

What's not covered?

As with most private healthcare plans, there are exclusions and limitations. If you'd like to find out more about what is and isn't covered, call us on 0800 389 7413* or request a callback

CALL US ON 0800 389 7413*
REQUEST A CALLBACK

Included as standard:

Regardless of the cover options that you choose, you'll have access to the following included as standard:

  • 24/7 access to a private GP - Access to our 24/7 phone and video GP service, AXA Doctor at Hand (powered by Doctor Care Anywhere). Appointments are subject to availability. Advanced Nurse Practitioners available 8am-10pm. 
  • Muscle, bone and joint support - You and your team aged 18 and over get access to a physiotherapist over the phone, or online without the need for a GP referral.
  • Health information phone line - Our helpline is open 24/7 for health information and support from nurses and counsellors. Midwives and pharmacists are available from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, until 4pm on Saturday, and until 12pm on Sunday.
  • Heart and cancer support - Get support from our experienced health practitioners, who can support you and your family when living with heart and cancer conditions.
  • Gym discounts - In addition to your healthcare cover, you can get Up to 40% off monthly Nuffield Health, Fitness and Wellbeing centre membership and Hussle Monthly+ pass fees** for you and your employees. Which means your team can find their motivation, whether they’re training for a marathon or just getting started.**

Build a plan that's right for you and your business

At AXA Health, we know that every small business is unique. That’s why we offer a choice of healthcare cover options and benefits that you can select from, so that you only pay for the cover you want.1

Choose your cover options to create a package that works best for you and your team. For inspiration, take a look at our example plans. For more help, speak to one of our advisors on 0800 389 7413*

1If you are buying cover for 1-2 people only, you will need to include either the Treatment option or the Diagnostics Only option in your plan.

Defaqto 2024 Five_Star Expert Rated award

We’re proud that our Business Health plan has been rated 5 stars by independent financial information business, Defaqto. The Defaqto 5-star rating is based on an assessment of the overall product including all options. If some of the options are not selected, this will affect the product’s star rating.

Health and wellbeing info, straight to your inbox

Sign up to receive our small business health and wellbeing newsletter straight to your inbox each month. Designed specifically for small business owners, our newsletter provides actionable advice and insights to help keep your employees healthy and happy, and to help keep your business growing.

Receive insights from our in-house experts directly to your inbox on a number of health and wellbeing topics.


Get access to our small business guides providing in depth health and wellbeing insight and recommendations.



Read tips for how you can prioritise the health and wellbeing of your team.


By submitting this form you're agreeing to receive health and wellbeing information, promotions and special offers from AXA Health. If you're not the named person on this form, you must ensure that they consent to such use of this data. You can opt-out by unsubscribing at any time and you can view our Privacy Policy.

* Phone lines are open 8:30am-5:30pm Monday to Friday. We may record and/or monitor calls for quality assurance, training and as a record of our conversation.

**Discount applies to Nuffield Health fitness and wellbeing centre monthly individual membership only. Your employees must provide proof of membership and/or employer. You, your spouse, partner or dependent must be a named member on a current AXA Health  healthcare plan to get a 40% discount and be 18 years or older. As a member, you can access your home club (the one you select on joining) as well as many more clubs around the country. These depend on your home club. You must use your home club at least 50% of the time. The joining fee is £39 and may be subject to change by Nuffield Health. Existing members of Nuffield Health who transfer to a 40% off AXA Health discount will be charged a £39 administration fee by Nuffield Health. AXA Health reserves the right to withdraw or alter this offer at any time. The Read full terms and conditions at axahealth.co.uk/terms/gym-discount.

40% off Nuffield Health 24/7 online memberships - available to your employees and their spouses, with or without an AXA Health membership. Read full terms and conditions at axahealth.co.uk/terms/gym-discount.

40% off the purchase of a Hussle Monthly+ pass is available to members on an AXA Health healthcare plan. A partner or spouse and direct dependants included on their healthcare plan can also get 40% off the purchase of a Hussle Monthly+ pass. 33% off a Hussle Monthly+ pass is available to employees of AXA Health healthcare clients not covered by a company healthcare plan. They must provide proof of employer. Members must be over 16 to redeem AXA Health discounts with Hussle. Some venues have alternative age restrictions and will be flagged on the gym details page. Read full terms and conditions at axahealth.co.uk/terms/gym-discount.