A collaborative approach to workforce wellbeing
Discover how Together Housing’s seven‑year partnership with Simplyhealth is improving access to preventative care, supporting employee wellbeing, and helping colleagues manage everyday health costs with confidence.
Simplyhealth has strengthened our wellbeing strategy by providing accessible, preventative healthcare solutions that support our employees’ everyday needs.
All quotes on this page come from our March 2026 conversation with Lesley Sherwin, Change Project Partner.
Working collaboratively to support your people
Together Housing Group is a leading provider and one of the largest housing associations in the North of England, managing over 38,000 homes across Yorkshire and Lancashire. With around 1,600 full and part‑time employees, offering a range of support services which affect over 80,000 people’s lives, they recognised that their people were their greatest asset.
“We want to build strong, sustainable relationships with our customers and to work with them to ensure we meet their expectations. To do this, we need every one of our colleagues to feel appreciated, valued, and recognised for their achievements.” - Lesley Sherwin
Why is employee health cover important for housing associations?
Average absence levels have increased to 9.4 days per employee per year, compared with 7.8 days in 2023 and 5.8 days in 2022.
A proactive investment in employee health
As part of a wider programme of employee benefits, Together Housing introduced a Simplyhealth Health Plan seven years ago. Their priority was accessible, preventative care that would save employees time and remove barriers to everyday care.
“Among the key drivers was the need to keep staff healthy and reduce absenteeism through early intervention. It was important to us that everyone could manage everyday health expenses without financial strain.” - Lesley Sherwin
Introducing Simplyhealth has had a meaningful impact across our workforce. Employees now have access to a range of services that have boosted morale, supported preventative care and encouraged early intervention.
Lesley Sherwin
Aligning to your values with comprehensive wellbeing benefits
We selected Simplyhealth because they offered an easy, low admin solution that aligned with our wellbeing priorities. In a time of rising healthcare costs, we were looking for a partner who could help us:
Improve employee wellbeing and engagement
Support early intervention
Attract and retain talent.
-Lesley Sherwin
A broader approach to the traditional cash plan
Simplyhealth, employees have access to a wide range of health and wellbeing services, supporting both physical and mental wellbeing.
These benefits include:
Dental and optical cover
Mental Health Support services
24/7 online GP and nurse access
Employees also have access to a range of on-demand, discounted and self-pay services, including:
Discounted physiotherapy
Nutrition guidance
Women's health support
At-home health testing kits
Neurodiversity assessments
Coaching support for sleep, parenting and menopause
Get a fast, no-obligation business health plan quote today
Employees particularly value the 24‑hour GP service and support for routine healthcare costs such as dental check‑ups, eye tests and physiotherapy—services that can otherwise be expensive or difficult to access around shift patterns and community‑based work.
Lesley Sherwin
Long‑term results that demonstrate real impact
1,614 active policies
83% of employees are registered online
72% of employees have made a claim this year
As of 3rd April 2026.
7% increase in claims value
Compared to the same period last year April 24-March 25 vs April 25 to March 26.
8% increase in claim volume
Compared to the same period last year April 24-March 25 vs April 25 to March 26.
Employees report feeling more supported and able to access care earlier
"The plan has become an integral part of our wellbeing strategy, helping colleagues across frontline, community and corporate roles access essential healthcare quickly and affordably."
Lesley Sherwin
Designed to be simple for you and your employees
A leadership perspective
"We’ve been delighted with our experience. Simplyhealth has been proactive, responsive and highly collaborative, which is exactly what we were looking for in a partner. Administration is straightforward and the quality of support is excellent. Our account manager has been reliable, provided clear communication and helpful promotional materials that have made the plan straightforward and valuable for our people."
- Lesley Sherwin
Ready to invest in Housing sector wellbeing solutions?
Get your business health solution quote today and take the first step towards a healthier workplace.