Mental illness is now the second most common reason for Group Income Protection (GIP) claims in the UK, according to new research from GRiD, the industry body for group risk providers. Musculoskeletal issues took the top spot, but mental health has been steadily climbing the rankings in recent years. It’s a clear sign of the evolving risks facing today’s workforce, and for HR teams and business leaders, it’s a wake-up call.Yet despite this shift, Group Income Protection remains one of the most misunderstood and underutilised employee benefits. As Kate Whitelock, Head of Wellbeing at YuLife, puts it: “The biggest challenge with GIP is communication. Employees either don’t know they have it—or don’t understand it.”A benefit hiding in plain sightGIP is designed to support employees who are off work long-term due to illness or injury, typically kicking in after six months of absence. But all too often, HR teams only find out someone needs help when it’s too late. There’s often a communication gap within an organisation that leaves many employees unaware of their entitlement, or unsure how to access it.This is especially true when it comes to mental health. Unlike a broken bone, conditions such as anxiety or depression may build gradually, with employees hesitant about seeking help until their situation worsens. And by the time HR gets involved, the all-important opportunity for early intervention has passed.“Group Income Protection has traditionally been designed around the needs of employers, not employees,” says Kate. “That needs to evolve. Employees should feel empowered to engage with this important benefit and understand how it can support them.”Early action changes outcomesThere’s compelling evidence that early intervention is key to reducing the length and severity of employee absence. According to MetLife, if support is provided within the first four weeks of absence, around 96% of employees are able to return to work. That’s a staggering statistic—and a huge opportunity.YuLife, in partnership with MetLife, is reimagining what GIP can look like. By creating an employee-facing experience, we’re making it easier for individuals to engage with support services from day one. This includes gamified nudges that encourage healthy habits and proactive check-ins, along with integrations that help triage individuals to mental health support earlier in their journey.“We’re building early intervention tools and healthy habit nudges into everyday routines—not just when a claim starts,” says Kate. “The goal is to stop absence before it happens. But if someone does go off sick, we want to support their comeback as quickly and positively as possible.”Shifting the narrative on GIPWhat YuLife is doing differently is treating GIP not just as a safety net, but as part of a proactive wellbeing strategy. The YuLife app already helps employees build healthier behaviours through daily movement, mindfulness, and friendly competitions. These aren’t just feel-good extras—they’re designed to reduce stress, build resilience, and lower the likelihood of absence in the first place.Kate points out that mental health-related absences often come with stigma, so the easier it is for someone to ask for help early, the more likely it is that they’ll recover sooner. “Creating a more visible, approachable experience for GIP helps lower the barrier to support. That’s vital for mental health,” she explains.Real stories of recoveryWhile it’s still early days, our partnership with MetLife is already showing promise. YuLife member Lorraine Jakeman, an employee at Sodexo Justice and Custodial Services HMP Peterborough, was placed on long-term sick leave due to an autoimmune diagnosis. She had two choices: wait for recovery or take small steps toward getting stronger. Utilising the Yulife app, Lorraine started moving a little more each day—taking on challenges, building momentum, and earning rewards along the way. What started as small steps turned into a full recovery, and soon, she was back at work some 16–18 weeks earlier than expected, thanks in part to the YuLife platform’s ongoing wellbeing nudges.Stories like this are a reminder that GIP can do more than just process claims. When designed with the employee experience in mind, it can help people recover faster, avoid absence altogether, and feel supported throughout.Group Income Protection is due a rebrandAt a time when government disability support is under pressure and workplace burnout is rising, GIP could become one of the most valuable tools in a company’s benefits portfolio. But only if it’s accessible, preventative, and well-communicated.YuLife is helping lead that change. With our gamified approach to wellbeing and partnership with MetLife, we’re turning a traditionally overlooked group insurance product into something much more powerful: a tool for everyday health, not just crisis response.For HR and business leaders, the message is clear: Group Income Protection doesn’t have to be hidden in the background. It can be a visible, engaging part of your wellbeing strategy—and a meaningful way to support your people when they need it most.