EAP (Employee Assistance Programme)

In recruiter context

Most UK employers above 50-100 staff offer an EAP. Common providers: Health Assured, Bupa, Vitality, Workplace Options. Typical scope: 6-8 free counselling sessions per issue, legal helpline, financial advice helpline, mental health crisis line. The catch: EAPs are confidential to employees but the employer sees aggregated usage data. Worth asking about at offer stage if you're going through life events that might need this support. Underutilised by UK employees — most don't know their EAP exists or what's covered. Free at point of use; no record of use appears on employment files.