Revealed: The UK's Most Popular Employee Perks

From gym memberships to supermarket savings, what are the most popular employee perks trending in the market? Rippl’s brand new research reveals what UK teams are currently prioritising.

At Rippl, we’re all about creating workplace cultures that empower every person to thrive and feel they truly matter. Which is why we offer an award-winning benefits catalogue so our customers can tailor a dynamic and personalised offer to achieves just this.

But in a fast-changing market there’s a widening benefits gap that employers need to address – latest research shows just 4 in 10 employees believe their company’s current perks package to be of good value, and as employee benefits climb candidates’ agendas, 60% would switch roles if provided a better offer elsewhere. It’s never been more important to truly understand what employees want to maximise and retain the teams behind a brand.

So, what are the most popular employee perks in the market today?

The current climate has pushed tackling the rising cost of living to the top of employees’ priorities – amplified even more so following the Autumn Budget announcement. Our data shows that 98% of employees with access to supermarket discounts use these to supplement their weekly shops. This perk enables employers to compliment salary and wider compensation packages with tangible relief in the face of rising living costs, with Rippl’s data showing the average employee can save up to £725 per year in supermarket discounts.

We also found savings on dental health services are the second most valued employee benefit. With increasing pressure on NHS services and limited appointments available, our data shows an average of 6 in 10 employees lean on this workplace benefit if their business offers this.

Our findings also show a rise in adoption of salary advances, which enable employees in urgent financial need to advance portions of their pay, with 78% of employees on average engaging with this service if provided access. Yet, despite this significant demand, only 23% of employers offer salary advance schemes.

On the other hand, our findings show more of an imbalance when it comes to gym memberships. Whilst these have been historically popular, the market shift has resulted in 8% of employees taking advantage of these, despite 76% of employers offering them. Of course, whilst this perk offers impressive savings to gym-goers, it seems more employees seek tangible support across their everyday expenses, rather than hobbies.

The UK’s most popular perks:

1. Retail vouchers
2. Salary advance
3. Dental
4. Eye Tests
5. Charity donations

What do businesses now need to consider in their perks planning?

Particularly as we look to breakdown the cost implications following the Autumn Budget announcement for employers, it’s clear a major financial shift will impact UK businesses from 2025 onwards. The hike in National Insurance contributions will lead Rewards and Benefits leaders to face a significant increase in added costs, leading to slower hiring and amplified resource pressures on existing teams.

As our data here shows, salary advance and sacrifice schemes remain largely under-utilised by businesses, despite a growing appetite from talent today. Yet in addition to this, salary sacrifice schemes will enable employers to mitigate the impact of the Budget and potentially save tens of thousands annually as they offset National Insurance increases whilst supporting the cost of living for their people.