New CPC-Approved Provider Responds to UK School Absence Crisis with Fast, Insured Payouts and Full Wellbeing Support

As schools across the UK battle rising absence rates and increasing burnout among staff, Schools UK has been appointed as a supplier on the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) Staff Absence Protection and Reimbursement Services framework — giving schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts (MATs) a trusted, fully compliant route to secure absence protection and wellbeing support.

A Crisis in Education Workforce Health

Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Education highlight a growing national issue: workforce absence is at critical levels. In 2022, the UK saw its highest sickness absence rate since 2004, rising to 2.6% of working hours lost — equating to a record 185.6 million days lost due to sickness or injury across all sectors ONS, 2022.

In schools specifically, recent figures show that on 21 July, 5.5% of teachers and school leaders and 5.1% of teaching assistants and other staff were absent for any reason from open schools — painting a clear picture of ongoing disruption in the education workforce DfE, 2022.

This mounting pressure is also reflected in the 2023 School Workforce Census, which reports:

• 468,700 FTE teachers in state-funded schools, up only slightly from last year
• 282,900 FTE teaching assistants, up by 1,800
• A 20% increase in teacher vacancies from 2022 to 2023
• A continuing rise in pupil-to-teacher ratios, especially in nurseries and primary settings
• The highest number of temporarily filled posts in recent years

These figures paint a stark picture of the growing demand for dependable absence protection and staff wellbeing services in schools.

Schools UK’s appointment to this national framework arrives at a critical time, offering fast, FCA-regulated absence insurance with added human-first wellbeing support — all delivered through a pre-vetted route schools can trust.

Why Schools Choose Schools UK via the CPC Framework

As an FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected provider, Schools UK offers insurance-backed absence protection with guaranteed claim payment. This is real-world support that’s secure, simple, and responsive to the current climate - helping schools continue operating efficiently even when absence rates are high.

Key features include:

• AXA-underwritten absence insurance
• Average payment time of just 3 days for valid claims
• 100% of valid claims paid – no exceptions
• FCA-regulated & FSCS-protected – built-in financial security
• Secure, paperless claim portal with live claim tracking
• Gold Wellbeing Programme, provided by Schools UK Health – supporting staff, governors, and close family members, even if they are not included on the staff absence insurance policy. This programme is included free with every policy as standard.

With over 27 years of experience and thousands of schools already supported nationwide, Schools UK delivers practical solutions that support both operational continuity and the wellbeing of your workforce.

About the CPC Framework & Giving Back to Schools

As schools across the UK battle rising absence rates and increasing burnout among staff, Schools UK has been appointed as a supplier on the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) Staff Absence Protection and Reimbursement Services framework, following a competitive tender exercise in line with public procurement regulations, providing schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts (MATs) with a value for money and fully compliant route to purchasing absence protection and wellbeing support.

The Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing schools, academies, colleges, universities and other educational organisations with purchasing frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems (DPS) and procurement consultancy services.

CPC’s Staff Absence Protection and Reimbursement Services framework enables schools to engage with pre-vetted suppliers like Schools UK without needing to run a full tender process — ensuring simplicity, value, and transparency.

Uniquely, CPC as a registered charity reinvests all surplus income back into the education sector. Through its Giving Back Grant Funding programme, since the initiative started in 2019, CPC has designated over £2 million for a range of projects in the education sector.

Learn more at: https://www.thecpc.ac.uk/funding/giving-back-grant-funding

This reinvestment model means CPC partners like Schools UK aren’t just offering support today — they’re helping schools access funding for tomorrow too.

Leadership Statement

“Being appointed to the CPC framework is a powerful recognition of the standards we’ve built,” said Ronald Thompson & Peter Riley, Co-Directors of Schools UK. “We’re proud to offer schools a secure, regulated route to protect budgets, reduce risk, and invest in long-term wellbeing.”

Find Out More

Schools, academies, and MATs can now access Schools UK through the CPC Staff Absence Protection and Reimbursement Services framework.

Check Out Our Staff Absence Insurance