Headline findings

Our Going Private 2026 report shows the public’s continuing openness around using private healthcare, with the rise of the “hybrid healthcare consumer” where people are increasingly using both NHS and private healthcare pragmatically rather than seeing them as opposing systems.

Overall, this year’s research showed that:

• Almost two thirds (62%) of people say the ability to access healthcare services at convenient times is more important than whether care is delivered publicly or privately. This cuts across Labour, Conservative, Reform and Green voters.
• Younger adults continue to be leading a generational shift in attitudes:
  o 85% of 25–34 year olds would consider private healthcare
  o 56% are likely to use it in the next 12 months
  o 48% have already used it
• Over 7 in 10 (71%) of the public would consider using private healthcare if they needed treatment – up significantly from 63% in 2023.
• 4 in 10 people (40%) say they are likely to use private healthcare in the next 12 months, up from 30% in 2023.
• While not being able to access an NHS appointment quickly remains the top reason for using private healthcare, 1 in 4 people who have gone private said they did so because they believe the care is of a higher quality.