Trust dips among middle-aged customers as PMI use rises

While trust rose among the youngest (18–30) and oldest (65+) customers in spring 2025, it fell among those aged 31–64. In contrast, in Autumn 2024, trust declined with age. The sharpest drop was among 46–64 year olds, whose average trust score fell by almost two percentage points since autumn 2024. The fall in trust comes despite a record year for private hospital admissions. According to the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), there were 939,000 private admissions in 2024 - up 3% on the previous year. Of these, 664,000 were funded by PMI, a 6% year-on-year increase.

People in their 50s remain the biggest users of private healthcare, which may help explain the decline in trust among this group. As more people turn to private cover to escape long NHS waits, some are discovering that existing conditions are excluded or attract much higher premiums. These experiences may be eroding trust in the sector among the group most likely to use it.