Analyis of the latest Office for Health Improvement & Disparities data by Broadstone, a leading independent pensions, investment, employee benefits and insurance consultancy, finds that 2.1 million people missed out on valuable NHS Health Check in 2023/24.
 
3.6 million adults were invited to attend a Health Check in 2023/24, the highest ever level, however, of those invited, only 1.4 million people – just two in five (40%) of those eligible – attended an appointment through the year.
 
It means that over 2 million did not receive their NHS Check despite an invitation, a rise of 347,628 (19%) compared to the 1.8 million who failed to attend an appointment in 2022/23.
NHS Health Checks are a free check-up of general health which should be offered by a GP or local council every 5 years to those aged 40-74 with no pre-existing health conditions.
 
Ten years ago, in 2013/14, half (49%) of the 2.8 million invitees attended a Health Check (1.4 million). Throughout this period, this trend has declined, with the proportion of Health Check invitees attending their appointment falling by a tenth (9%) between 2013/14 (49%) and 2023/24 (40%).
 
On a weekly basis, that’s an average of 41,080 people missing out on their NHS Health Check in 2023/24, compared to the average of 27,630 people missing out each week a decade before in 2013/24. 
 
Emily Jones, Client Consulting Director at Broadstone, said, “NHS Health Checks are a vital first line of defence against more serious, chronic illnesses and so it is disappointing to see that uptake remains low despite efforts to invite more people.”