Staff Absence Insurance for Educators

Schools UK has provided staff absence insurance to schools, academies and M.A.Ts since 1997. Backed by 29+ years of experience, 5,000+ policies written, AXA underwriting, and a live-status claims system.

Staff absence insurance for schools provided by Schools UK includes:

• AXA Underwritten Policies.
• Fast payment turnaround times.
• Sickness or injury.
• Bereavement or compassionate leave.
• Jury service.
• Family care responsibilities.
• Maternity and paternity-related absences.
• Other specific situations like staff suspension or union duties.

All Schools UK policies are underwritten by AXA, a globally trusted insurer. This gives every school confidence in the financial backing and credibility behind the cover.

Schools UK is proudly partnered with ISBL, Schools North East, and other leading educational bodies, keeping our solutions aligned with school priorities and trust-level needs.

Yes, part-time staff can be included. Their coverage is adjusted based on the proportion of hours they work, known as full-time equivalent (FTE). This ensures their insurance benefits align with their working hours​​

Yes. Schools UK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), providing complete peace of mind.

Schools UK was founded in 1997 and has almost 3 decades of experience helping schools, academies, and trusts across the UK with absence protection.

Yes, the policy includes teacher maternity cover. Schools UK offers a lump sum payment when a staff member returns to work after their maternity leave, helping schools manage the costs associated with this type of absence. This ensures minimal disruption to school operations. Additionally, the policy covers pregnancy-related illnesses leading up to the maternity leave, providing further support if a staff member is unwell due to pregnancy before their leave begins. Specific terms and conditions apply regarding eligibility and timing​​.

Generally, pre-existing conditions are not covered, especially if a staff member has had an extended absence in the year before the policy starts. However, if you want pre-existing conditions covered, this can be arranged on specific request.

Excess periods refer to the number of days you must wait at the beginning of an absence before the insurance starts paying. Essentially, it’s a waiting period before benefits kick in. The length of this period can vary based on the circumstances and the choices made during the setup of the policy​​.

Schools UK offers a comprehensive range of wellbeing services that are separate from the absence insurance. These include:

• Musculoskeletal support (like physiotherapy and chiropractic care).
• Confidential counselling services (including phone and face-to-face options).
• 24/7 access to a GP for staff and their families.

& more.

Interested in standalone staff wellbeing in schools? Get a quote here at Schools UK Health.

Staff absence insurance claims can be submitted online.

Schools UK is based at 1A Moor Road, LS6 4BG, in Headingley, West Yorkshire. We proudly support schools, academies, and trusts across the entire UK.

Yes — Schools UK provides an easy-to-use, paperless staff absence management system as part of our insurance service.

Designed specifically for school administrators, our system allows you to log absences, track claims, and monitor live claim status securely in one place. It helps streamline your internal processes, saves admin time, and ensures claims are handled quickly — with an average turnaround of just 3 days.

Yes — we work closely with multi-academy trusts across the UK to provide tailored staff absence insurance and wellbeing services that suit both centralised and school-level autonomy models.

Our policies are fully insurance-backed, underwritten by AXA, and supported by a staff absence management system that enables trusts to manage claims either at a trust-wide level or allow each school to operate independently.

We also include school wellbeing services for all staff members, including governors and close family members, whether they’re listed on the policy or not — helping MATs promote resilience, retention, and recovery across the entire workforce.