More than 120 businesses across the UK have signed up to UR Benefits, the recently launched Yorkshire-based employee benefits service that focuses specifically on staff wellbeing, as well as supporting independent businesses.

 

Unlike other employee benefits services, UR Benefits concentrates on four key areas – social, physical, financial, and psychological – to provide a 360° wellbeing service to more than 50,000 employees, with a twist incorporating an independent section that is aimed at helping businesses that need it the most, as well as offering the portal at a price that assists small businesses and start-ups.

 

And thanks to a focus on supporting small independent UK businesses, members have access to exclusive deals and offers not available anywhere else.

 

Set up during lockdown by Doncaster-based independent business owner Louise Prestwich, the service is seeing more employers sign up every month, as well as more independent businesses coming onboard to offer their services and products to the membership base.

 

Louise said: “I wanted to set up a service that focused on staff wellbeing and would appeal to employers of all sizes, allowing them to reward and help retain staff for an easily affordable price – no more than £1 per employee per month.

 

“And as an independent business owner myself, it was important to me that the service included benefits, discounts, and offers from other small independent businesses, as well as those from national and international brands.

 

“We have achieved that, and now offer thousands of wellbeing benefits to our members, and are on track to have more than 2,000 independent businesses onboard by next summer.”

 

The concept for UR Benefits came to Louise after she broke her back and developed sepsis in 2016, which forced her to fold a business, and the experiences of independent businesses that struggled during the national lockdown period.

 

The service now offers a free platform for these smaller businesses to showcase their products and services, whilst also offering members access to deals, discounts, and offers from companies including Reebok, Hello Fresh, PureGym, and Hotelogy, plus Vitality through Switch Lifestyles.  Discounts that you would find on most benefits portals, including the twist with the independents.

 

Louise added: “Staff work on average of 80,000 hours during their lifetime. Employers are now realising that they need to give them more than just a pay cheque and that their wellbeing is vitally important. Offering the right employee benefits package helps with staff recruitment and retention too and shows that the employer cares about their people.”

 

Employers can sign up for UR Benefits at www.ur-benefits.co.uk.