Five facts about the Vitality Programme you might not know
The Vitality Programme is about so much more than just rewards and incentives. Here are five facts that explain just how powerful it can be at driving engagement and delivering real value to your clients
Speak to most people about health and protection insurance and they’ll likely see it as a grudge purchase.
They probably know they need it, but the value can feel intangible – the promise of a financial payout for an event that may never happen (and ideally doesn’t).
The Vitality Programme – the world’s largest behaviour change programme linked to insurance - allows you to change that conversation. By delivering tangible benefits and everyday rewards alongside comprehensive health and protection cover, we can appeal to people’s desire for real value and healthier, longer lives.
With that in mind, here are five facts to help you understand how the Vitality Programme works and how it cannot just benefit your clients but your business too.
1. It’s based on behavioural economics
We all know clients don’t always act rationally. Cognitive biases like optimism and present bias often lead people to delay decisions or undervalue long-term benefits.
The Vitality Programme applies behavioural economics to overcome these barriers. Through nudges and incentives, the world’s largest behaviour-change programme linked to insurance encourages regular engagement and healthier habits to unlock additional value.
For example, we know that present bias means people favour immediate rewards over longer term gains. Which is why the immediate gratification of a free coffee or cinema ticket can be so appealing to clients and a way of helping them form healthier habits.
This can also help to overcome their resistance to paying for insurance cover, by changing the conversation away from just ill-health or death to one that’s also about enjoying life – and how they’re getting something right now, for making healthy choices that will also benefit them in the long run.
2. We’ll do the onboarding for you
Getting a client using the app, earning points and redeeming rewards is key to getting them engaged and getting the most out of their Vitality plan.
We know though that advisers don’t always have the time to do this themselves, which is why our dedicated team of onboarding experts take care of all that, freeing up more of your time.
However, if advisers do want to get involved and engage with clients about the Vitality Programme and associated rewards and benefits, it can also be a great way of creating regular contact touchpoints and strengthening the overall relationship.
Just take the annual rewards and benefits statements, for example. These are also shared with the adviser, so can be used as a way of kicking off an annual catch-up with the client, which are often used to generate cross-sale or referral business opportunities.
3. Earning points and building a Vitality status is easier than you think
To kick things off, clients complete their Health Profile via the Vitality UK app. It takes just a few minutes and gives them a personalised Vitality Age and health insights, while recommending tailored tips to address any areas for improvement.
They can also complete an annual health check*, covering checks on blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index (BMI) and cholesterol.
Combine those with a non-smoker declaration and they could hit Silver Vitality status without doing any exercise at all. If they did nothing else and remained at Silver Vitality status, they’d still get almost 25% of their premium back through incentives and rewards1.
However, we know that once a member is engaged, they’re more likely to build and maintain their status.
And there are numerous ways for clients to earn Vitality points that reward small, incremental improvements. Often these are everyday activities that people are already doing – like taking the dog for a walk, going for the occasional run or a cycle ride. In fact, the majority of Vitality points are earned by members just walking [1].
Gemma's Story: 'It doesn't even feel like I'm doing exercise'
Find out how Vitality member Gemma discovered being active didn't have to be as strenuous as running or regularly hitting the gym, and how her Vitality plan gave her the boost and incentives to get active.
It’s also worth highlighting that this higher engagement also benefits advisers, with Platinum members up to 46% less likely to lapse their plan [2].
4. It’s now even more rewarding and engaging
Clients can access a range of discounts from day one, like up to 50% off monthly gym membership Nuffield Health Gyms, PureGym or Virgin Active (subject to a joining fee), up to 50% off running shoes from SportsShoes.com and up to 25% off a Specialized bike, and more.
Active Rewards then incentivise building small, sustainable, healthy habits. Track 12 activity points a week and they’ll unlock weekly treats, like a handcrafted drink from Caffè Nero.
Vitality Plus members can also enjoy our new 4-week Streak benefit, which rewards consistency because it’s key to building healthy habits and sustaining positive behaviour change. When they earn at least 12 weekly activity points for four weeks in a row, they can choose two further rewards, such as an Itsu meal and cinema ticket.
They’ll also have a chance to play for extra monthly rewards through Pick and Play.
All of this is delivered via the app, using gamification and push notifications to keep engagement high. Their plan is no longer something that’s sat in a drawer, not being used, it’s integrated into their daily lifestyle.
For advisers, that means stickier business – our most engaged members are 47% less likely to cancel[2].
Find out more in the VitalityLife Claims and Shared Value Report 2025 and the VitalityHealth Claims Insights Report 2025
5. It can help your clients to live longer
The best bit of all is that by encouraging members to not just engage in the Vitality Programme, but actively improve their lifestyle habits, we can also help them to live longer and in better health[2] – reducing the chances of a claim arising and allowing us to return yet more value to them through rewards and partners.
All of this ultimately allows you, as an adviser, to have meaningful conversations with clients - about more than just the need for cover. Centred around things they can enjoy in the here and now, while helping them unlock better health and the prospect of a longer life.
* For personal health plans, one adult member can have one Vitality Healthcheck without charge, each plan year. For business and corporate health plans, the principal member can have one Vitality Healthcheck without charge, each plan year. All other adult members on a plan are eligible for a Vitality Healthcheck available at £15
For Life members with a Vitality Plus plan, the principal member is eligible for a Vitality Healthcheck through Bluecrest for £0 in their first plan year. Any further health checks on the plan will be charged at £12.50 per adult. For Life members with a Vitality Select plan, all adults on the plan are eligible for a Vitality Healthcheck for £12.50.
[1] Vitality research 2023
[2] VitalityLife Claims and Shared Value Report 2025
[3] Based on members who move from 0 to 21+ activity points a week throughout their lifetime, applied to standard UK mortality rates. Vitality study 2024.
Related: helping your clients live longer is easier than you think
Time for more
This year, we’re making the Vitality Programme even bigger and better. With personalised support powered by smarter technology, new partnerships and even more ways to get healthy - we're delivering more of what makes Vitality, health's best friend.
- More personalised
Vitality AI, developed with Google, is making health journeys smarter and more personal than ever.
- More engaging
We’re offering more ways to earn points and build healthy habits including an exciting new category of partners.
- More rewarding Last year, we introduced Streak Rewards – a brilliant new way to unlock rewards for being consistently active. This year, we’re adding even more reasons for your clients to keep moving.
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