Quick Answer · Updated 2026-07-17
The best options for cash plan buyers in July 2026, ranked by our research:
- #1 Westfield Health — the most transparent tier tables — five levels with published cashback limits. £8.58/mo Level 1 (July 2026).
- #2 Medicash — the cheapest verified personal cash plan entry price, children covered free. from £7.20/mo (July 2026).
- #3 BHSF — long-established not-for-profit with four simple tiers. from £9.63/mo (July 2026).
- #4 Simplyhealth — the biggest cash plan brand with a flexible plan builder. from £23/mo (July 2026).
Rankings weigh provider-published pricing, verified cover terms and audience fit; every figure is dated and checked against the provider's own documents. Reviewed by Ben Darke, PMI Experts.
A health cash plan refunds the everyday health costs you're already paying — dental check-ups, eye tests, glasses, physio — for a fixed few pounds a month, in a £479 million UK market (LaingBuisson, October 2025). Unlike PMI there's usually no medical underwriting. Ranked on verified July 2026 prices and published benefit tables.
Key Facts · 2026-07-17
- Verified entry prices (July 2026, own sites): Medicash from £7.20/month, Westfield £8.58, BHSF from £9.63, Benenden cash plan from £11.32, Simplyhealth from £23.
- Westfield Level 1 (£8.58/mo): dental £45, optical £45 per 2 years, therapies £200/year — the most transparent published tier table.
- Cash plans carry 12% Insurance Premium Tax like PMI (BHSF's price states it includes IPT; gov.uk rate, July 2026).
- Cash plans pay everyday cashback only — hospital-stay benefits are token (Paycare: £11–£45/night) and private surgery is not covered.
Compared (July 2026)
| Provider | Published price | Standout |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Westfield Health | £8.58/mo Level 1 (July 2026) | 5 published tiers |
| #2 Medicash | from £7.20/mo (July 2026) | children free |
| #3 BHSF | from £9.63/mo (July 2026) | price includes IPT |
| #4 Simplyhealth | from £23/mo (July 2026) | biggest brand |
Provider-published figures with stated bases, verified July 2026. Confirm current terms before relying on them.
Top picks in detail
#1. Westfield Health
The pick for transparency: five levels with every cashback limit published (to £52.35/month with £1,250 therapies), children included on key benefits free, and clean 16–65 joining terms.
#2. Medicash
The value entry point at £7.20/month with children free — the default recommendation for a young family's routine dental and optical costs.
#3. BHSF
A 150-year-old not-for-profit with simple Bronze-to-Platinum tiers from £9.63 — worth a look for straightforward cover without a plan builder.
#4. Simplyhealth
The biggest brand and slickest app; you pay for it (entry £23/month), so it earns its place only if you'll use the higher limits its builder assembles.
What to avoid
- Don't buy a cash plan expecting private surgery or cancer cover — that's PMI's job; a cash plan's hospital benefit is pocket money per night.
- Skip Health Shield unless it comes via your employer — it publishes no individual pricing (July 2026).
- Don't double-pay: if your PMI already has dental/optical cashback (AXA's 80%-to-£400, for example), a cash plan duplicates it.
How we ranked these
Rankings combine each provider's published pricing examples (with their stated bases), verified policy terms from provider documents, published claims statistics where they exist, and fit for this specific audience. This is editorial research, not advice — formal recommendations come from an independently FCA-authorised adviser.
Frequently Asked Questions
On July 2026 verified prices and published benefits: Westfield Health for transparency (five published tiers from £8.58/month), Medicash for entry value (£7.20/month, children free), BHSF for simple not-for-profit tiers, Simplyhealth for brand and app if you'll use higher limits.
Yes, and it's a sensible pairing: the cash plan handles predictable dental/optical/physio costs (claims that would waste a PMI no-claims discount), while PMI covers the unpredictable big stuff. Some households run Westfield's £8.58 plan beside a high-excess PMI policy (July 2026 prices).
From £7.20/month (Medicash) to £52.35/month (Westfield's top tier) on verified July 2026 prices — most buyers fit a £8–£15/month tier matched to their routine dental and optical spend.