Abbey and Faber Maunsell have unveiled healthcare cash plans for staff. The bank has introduced the perk as a voluntary benefit along with a credit card and a mortgage with preferential rates for staff. Faber Maunsell has also launched a cash plan along with a wine club as options under its flexible benefits scheme.
Lorraine Kaloczi, group payroll and benefits manager for the construction consultancy, said: "It seems that at every seminar or exhibition about flexible benefits cash plans are a hot topic. I think that a wine club is really innovative. It's not too big [on the market] at the minute, but it's certainly heading that way."
Its 3,000 employees can sign up for these perks in this month's enrolment period and they will be available from January 2008.
The wine club option is provided by Laithwaites.
"I think that the wine club will be very popular. I'm expecting a 30% take-up. I don't think the HSA cash plan will be so popular and I expect a 5% take-up. I think it's one of those things that people have to get used to the idea of," said Kaloczi.