A quick summary:
Private Medical Insurance (PMI) remains an essential pillar of benefits for UK law firms. It gives employees a critical safety net for physical and mental health treatment when they need it. But offering PMI alone, without robust preventative health support, means missing out on opportunities to keep people well rather than simply react when things go wrong.
At Heka, we know law firms aren’t looking to ditch PMI , but they are increasingly concerned about spiralling premiums (on average a 70% increase in 2025!). Instead, we help firms keep PMI premiums down and improve outcomes by prioritising preventative health and wellbeing support that complements insurance - empowering employees to use Heka before escalating to more costly, reactive care. We also build cultures that centre health and wellbeing, in turn driving high-performance.
Here’s why that matters more than ever for law firms.
Law firms face a real talent and wellbeing crisis
The legal market is under pressure:
- Associate attrition has nearly doubled in a year, with 16% of junior and 17% of senior associates leaving the profession entirely in 2025 (up from 9% in 2024).
- To be clear: this churn isn’t lateral moves - theses are people quitting law altogether, driven primarily by burnout and poor work‑life balance.
- Each departure can cost up to £790,000 in lost revenue, recruitment, and training.
- Firms struggle with outdated benefits, low engagement, and a disconnect between what they offer and what lawyers actually use.
Burnout, stress, poor sleep, and musculoskeletal issues are rampant - leading to lost billable hours and reduced productivity. In the UK, mental ill health alone accounts for 16.4 million working days lost annually, a problem felt strongly in law firms.
Why traditional benefits aren’t enough
Law firms often offer PMI and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), but these are inherently reactive. They step in after an issue has become serious.
That’s part of the problem:
- Only 12% of law firm employees say they’re ‘very satisfied’ with their benefits - even though nearly 73% of employers believe their offerings meet needs.
- Many existing benefits go unused: for example, 20% of firms offer Learning & Development benefits, often designed to reduce burnout, yet just 2% of employees engage with them.
This disconnect leads to wasted budget, disengaged staff, and conditions worsening until external care is needed - often triggering PMI claims.
Preventative support is what lawyers actually use
Our data shows a clear shift toward preventative and everyday wellbeing:
- 94% of Heka usage in law firms is for support not typically included in standard benefit packages, revealing a big gap in what firms offer versus what employees want and book.
- 81% of Heka bookings are for preventative health support - things that keep people healthy rather than just treat them once they’re unwell.
- The top categories lawyers actually book include general health (35.4%), nutrition (33%), sleep support (12.4%), digestive health (7.1%), and musculoskeletal care (4.6%).
These are the everyday wellbeing needs that help people stay well at work, reduce stress, and maintain performance.
How does Heka complement PMI for law firms?
Rather than replacing PMI, Heka enhances your benefits strategy by:
1. Keeping employees healthier (and less reliant on reactive care)
By giving lawyers access to preventative health resources, like stress management, sleep support, physiotherapy, and nutrition coaching, you help them manage issues early. This approach means fewer escalations to costly treatments that drive up insurance premiums.
2. Improving engagement and retention
Employees don’t just want more benefits - they want the right benefits at the right time. Heka’s data‑driven recommendations ensure your people use the support that genuinely helps them, boosting satisfaction and reducing attrition.
3. Targeting wellbeing where PMI doesn’t
PMI intervenes once a health issue reaches a clinical threshold. Heka intervenes long before that, supporting everyday wellbeing that improves focus, reduces burnout risk, and enhances quality of life - ingredients critical to high‑pressure legal work.
Supporting a changing legal workforce
The legal profession is evolving:
- 72% of Gen Z entering law firms are female, demanding benefits aligned with modern life and wellbeing challenges.
- Lawyers want real mental health support before crisis point - not just EAPs.
- Financial wellbeing has become a stressor for many, with anxiety tied to finances affecting performance.
Heka helps firms bridge the structural gaps in traditional benefits by offering personalised, preventative support that resonates with this new generation of legal professionals.
The smarter approach
Law firms will continue to invest in PMI. But the firms that thrive going forward are the ones that also invest in keeping their people well - before problems become expensive, disruptive, or career‑derailing.
PMI covers when things go wrong. Heka helps ensure those things are less likely to happen in the first place.
Together, this combination supports healthier, nd more productive lawyers - while helping firms control costs and boost retention.
