How much does an EAP cost?

An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is an employee benefit programme designed to support organisations and their workforces. The real question for organisational leaders is – how much does an EAP cost? And how do I determine if it’s the right value for money?

EAPs are widely recognised as an effective way to support individuals in overcoming the challenges of their work and home lives. With mental health and wellbeing solutions, your organisation can tackle the effects of poor mental health and mitigate costly absences – especially in the case of small businesses who cannot sustain this cost compared to large corporations.

This article will look at what an EAP is, what it provides, how poor mental health is costing organisations, EAP pricing in further detail and how to make an informed decision on choosing the most cost-effective EAP.

What is an EAP?

An EAP provides workforces with confidential EAP counselling support to help deal with problems that might affect their workplace performance, health or wellbeing. Some EAP providers offer additional services on top of this such as Occupational Health Assessments, Virtual GP access, HR support lines and much more.

The price of poor health to an organisation

While it might be difficult to calculate the exact cost of employee absences caused by ill-health, whether it be mental or physical, getting an accurate estimate will involve considering both the direct and indirect costs together.

The direct and indirect charges to an organisation as a result of employee absences include:

• National insurance and pension contributions

• Sick pay

• The indirect include the cost of replacing the absent employee if they resign

• Time spent by other employees to arrange and supervise cover

• Conducting return-to-work interviews

• Time spent attending capability meetings

• Training costs for onboarding new staff

• Lost productivity

• Poor quality output from existing individuals due to low morale

With all of the above in mind, research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) discovered the average number of sick days taken by UK employees has risen. Recent data from late 2025 recorded 9.4 days per year, equivalent to nearly two working weeks. This has been shown to be up significantly from pre-pandemic levels (around 5.8 days). ONS also found this was driven by stress, mental health issues, and long-term conditions.

The numbers

The Government's "Keep Britain Working" technical note from November 2025 provides a specific breakdown of the roughly £85 billion direct and indirect cost to employers:

• Lost Output: £47 billion due to employees being unable to work

• Presenteeism: £21 billion in lost productivity when employees attend work while unwell

• Direct Sick Pay: £10 billion in Statutory and Occupational Sick Pay

• Secondary Costs: £7 billion for conflict resolution, recruitment, and litigation

Considering the figures above, it’s no wonder organisations and employers are now taking steps to address the causes of these absences, and is the main reason why you need an EAP solution for your business or organisation.

Related article: An employer’s guide to choosing an EAP

Related article: How to Measure the Impact of Your EAP: Key Wellbeing KPIs for Employers

EAP pricing - how much does an EAP service cost?

The cost of an EAP depends on a variety of factors including:

• What services your organisation needs

• The type of programme

• Which pricing tier you select

• The number of individuals in your organisation

• The industry you’re in

There are several different approaches to EAP pricing. While some providers charge ‘per use’, or ‘per call’, other providers charge on a ‘per employee’ basis.

• Per use: The ‘per use’ service offers services like telephone support and online resources for a fixed monthly fee and then apply additional charges for other services such as face-to-face counselling as and when they’re used.

• Per call: The ‘per call’ option offers their EAP service at a fixed cost and then charge employers a flat rate for every call their employee makes to the EAP.

• Per employee: The most popular however are providers that charge EAP cost per employee in the UK. This option allows you to source an EAP at a fixed price per employee based on the expected use of the service. By knowing the exact employee assistance programme cost, you’re able to carry out better financial planning.

The average cost of an EAP

EAP pricing models differ per provider. Therefore, it is not possible to generalise an EAP cost to expect.

However, based on our own EAP pricing calculator, you can expect the average cost of an EAP with Wisdom Wellbeing:

How much does an EAP cost with Wisdom Wellbeing?

Wisdom Wellbeing's EAP starts from £1.30 per employee per month, plus VAT. Our EAP is priced per employee, so you know exactly what you'll pay each month and can budget with confidence. The prices below are illustrative, based on 100+ employees over a 60-month term. Your exact price will depend on your headcount, contract length and the level of support you choose.

Core EAP: from £1.30 per employee per month

Our Core EAP provides essential mental health support for your people, including:

• 24/7, 365 confidential helpline
• Up to 6 counselling sessions
• Access to the Wisdom app

Best for: organisations that want reliable, confidential mental health support at an accessible price.

Wisdom Super Care: from £2.25 per employee per month

Wisdom Super Care is our most complete EAP, covering both mental and physical wellbeing. Alongside everything in Core, it includes:

• More counselling sessions, online and in person
• Virtual GP provided by KRY
• Menopause Care
• Active Care for stress-related absence
• Occupational Health assessments
• Mental Health First Aid training (England only)

Compare Core and Wisdom Super Care in full

Best for: organisations that want a holistic wellbeing package that supports mental health, physical health and manager capability.

What does that look like in practice?

As an example, for an organisation with 100 employees:

• Core EAP would cost £130 per month, or £1,560 per year, plus VAT.
• Wisdom Super Care would cost £225 per month, or £2,700 per year, plus VAT.

That works out at less than the cost of a single long-term absence for many employers.

What affects your price?

• Headcount: larger organisations usually receive a lower per-employee rate.

• Contract length: longer terms can reduce your monthly cost.

• Tier: Core and Super Care include different levels of support.

• Add-on services: extra services such as critical incident support can be added as needed.

For a tailored price, use our EAP pricing calculator and get your per-employee cost in seconds.

How EAP pricing works for large organisations

For larger organisations, EAP pricing is usually tailored rather than taken from a standard price list. Your price will depend on:

• Headcount: per-employee rates are usually lower for larger workforces.

• Contract length: longer contracts can reduce your monthly cost.

• Your level of support: whether you choose Core or Wisdom Super Care, and any additional services, such as Occupational Health, critical incident support or manager training.

• How you buy: if you're running a formal tender, providers will price against your specification.

When you compare providers, look beyond the headline price per employee. Consider what's included, such as counselling sessions, reporting, relationship management and implementation support, and the cost of the absence, turnover and lost productivity an EAP can help reduce.

For a tailored price for your organisation, speak to our team. You can also estimate your potential return using our ROI calculator.

When comparing the EAP pricing per employee to the costs of absences and lost productivity, it’s no surprise that the price of the employee assistance programme is considered cost-effective.

Why should I invest in an EAP if usage is so low?

Organisations should invest in an EAP primarily due to:

• Strong ROI rates (around £10.85 per £1 spent)

• Significant savings from reduced absenteeism and presenteeism

• Fulfilling duty of care as part of employment law

• It provides an accessible avenue of support when you’re too busy to aid an individual

Duty of care is a significant point to mention. While an EAP is not a legal requirement, organisation owners and leaders have a legal duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of their people.

This includes managing risks related to workplace stress. Providing an EAP is a cost-effective way to demonstrate this commitment and mitigate potential risks of employment tribunals relating to mental health discrimination.

Related article: Benefits of introducing an EAP to your business

How EAPs reduce overall costs to an organisation

Besides mitigating the costs associated with absences, an EAP can also help reduce costs associated with:

Private medical insurance

Private medical insurance is a common employee perk, but claims can push up premiums at renewal. With PMI rates increasing, having an EAP can help mitigate the number of claims made, especially if the EAP offers both mental and physical wellbeing solutions.

Talent retention

With access to support, individuals may be more likely to stay with an organisation that provides the support they need to thrive in and out of work. This reduces staff replacement, hiring and training costs.

Enhanced productivity and engagement

When everything feels a bit much, an EAP can provide mental health support to help the individual deal with feelings of stress, anxiety, depression and other concerns.

An improved working environment

When your people are happy, so are your customers. People put their best foot forward when they feel supported, which in turn means you get the best work out of them.

Increase EAP usage with a robust and complete health solution

If you’re looking for a holistic approach to wellbeing at work, Wisdom Super Care is our most enhanced and complete EAP solution.

Not only does it cover counselling and in-the-moment support by qualified counsellors, but it also covers physical health too. Alongside everything in our Core EAP, Wisdom Super Care includes a Virtual GP provided by KRY, Menopause Care, Active Care for stress-related absence, Occupational Health assessments and Mental Health First Aid training for employees in England.

FAQs for Employers and HR Managers

How much should an EAP cost per employee?

Wisdom Wellbeing's EAP starts from £1.30 per employee per month, plus VAT, for our Core EAP, and from £2.25 per employee per month for Wisdom Super Care. Most providers charge on a per-employee basis, giving you a fixed cost that supports financial planning. The exact price varies depending on the services included, the size of your workforce and the level of support you choose.

What's the difference between Core EAP and Wisdom Super Care?

Core EAP provides essential mental health support, including a 24/7 confidential helpline, up to 6 counselling sessions and access to the Wisdom app. Wisdom Super Care adds more counselling, a Virtual GP provided by KRY, Menopause Care, Active Care, Occupational Health assessments, coaching and Mental Health First Aid training for employees in England.

Are EAP prices quoted including VAT?

No. Our EAP prices are quoted per employee per month, plus VAT.

How do I work out the annual cost of an EAP?

Multiply your number of employees by the monthly price per employee, then multiply by 12. For example, an organisation with 100 employees on Core EAP at £1.30 per employee per month would pay £130 per month, or £1,560 per year, plus VAT.

Do larger organisations pay less per employee?

Usually, yes. Per-employee rates are often lower for larger organisations and longer contract terms. Our illustrative prices are based on 100+ employees over a 60-month term, and your exact price will depend on your headcount, contract length and the services you choose.

Can I get an exact EAP price online?

Yes. Our EAP pricing calculator gives you a tailored per-employee cost in seconds, based on the size of your organisation and the level of support you need.

Related articles

• What is an EAP
• How an EAP works
• Benefits of providing an EAP
• Why your organisation needs an EAP
• EAP for Managers
• How to support remote employees through an EAP
• How to measure EAP impact
• EAP vs other wellbeing solutions
• An employer’s guide to choosing an EAP
• 9 ways to promote your EAP
• EAP confidentiality
• How modern EAPs and wellbeing apps strengthen workplace wellbeing
• How to embed EAPs, train leaders and build psychological safety
• EAP trauma support