SCOTTISH employers have taken top spot in the UK for promoting the health and well-being of staff.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of Scottish staff said their paymasters provide benefits aimed at improving their overall health. This was up 16 per cent on the previous year, found the study by PMI Health Group found, which put firms in East Anglia in second place (46 per cent), followed by London (45 per cent).

Companies in the north west of England fared the worst at 26 per cent.

Director Mike Blake said: "Although the boost in benefit provision is encouraging, companies in Scotland could still give greater consideration to employee health and wellbeing.

"With increasing restrictions in NHS provision, it is in the interests of businesses to minimise the costly impact of sickness absence. Corporate healthcare initiatives can help achieve this while helping to address health inequalities."