Lateral, a health and wealth products startup focused on people over 60, has raised £2.5 million in a seed round led by Augmentum, with support from Triple Point and TinyVC. Lateral will offer custom made and forward-looking health and wealth products designed specifically for people over 60, targeting a growing group of individuals who are increasingly self-funding their care. The funding will support the rollout of Lateral’s first product, the Lateral Health Plan, launching in January 2026.
The UK is entering a demographic and healthcare crunch, with more than 14.5 million people now over 60 and this number set to rise to over 17 million by 2040. Over-60s are driving a £1.6bn self-pay healthcare market, often with little guidance or support. Lateral is designed to address this gap by working alongside the NHS where relevant, while offering access to private care when appropriate, helping members understand their options and make informed choices about care.
Lateral was founded by Laura Ashforth, former Managing Director at Zego, and Steven Mendel, co-founder and former CEO of ManyPets. The Lateral Health Plan combines financial cover for private healthcare, care navigation, and stay-healthy benefits in one policy. At its core is a nurse-led navigation service run by qualified case-management nurses, designed to support members through diagnosis and treatment pathways while wrapping around NHS and private care.
