What happens to your mortgage if you cannot work?
Statutory Sick Pay is £116.75 per week. For most people, that covers less than a quarter of their mortgage. Income protection replaces a significant portion of your earnings if illness or injury stops you working.
Should you fail to disclose or misrepresent a fact, then you risk the insurer only paying part of a claim, declining to pay all the claim possibly, declaring the policy invalid.
What is income protection?
Your income is your most valuable asset
Income protection insurance pays a monthly benefit — typically 50–70% of your gross salary — if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Unlike critical illness cover, it is not limited to specific conditions: it pays if you cannot do your job, whatever the reason.
It is arguably the most important protection product most people do not have. The state provides very limited support for working-age adults who fall ill — and most people significantly overestimate how long their employer will continue to pay them.
We compare policies across a comprehensive range of lenders, looking at definition of incapacity, deferred period, indexation, and insurer claims records — not just the monthly premium — to find a policy that will genuinely pay out when you need it.
Key things to understand
- Pays monthly — not a lump sum — replacing lost earnings
- Typically covers 50–70% of pre-illness income
- Deferred period: you choose when payments start (4, 8, 13, 26, 52 weeks)
- "Own occupation" definition — pays if you cannot do YOUR job
- Continues until you return to work, retire, or the policy term ends
- Inflation-linked options to maintain the real value of the benefit
- Available for employed and self-employed people
- Separate from mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI)
Why choose us
Income protection chosen carefully
Definition matters
"Own occupation" is the gold standard definition — it pays if you cannot do your specific job. "Any occupation" definitions are much harder to claim on. We make sure you understand the difference and recommend the right policy.
Claims record research
Not all insurers pay claims at the same rate. We research insurer claims statistics and look at what each policy actually pays out — not just what the brochure says.
Tailored to your situation
Your occupation, employer sick pay, savings, and mortgage payment all affect what level of cover you need and how long a deferred period makes sense. We build your recommendation around your specific numbers.
Common questions
Income protection FAQs
The most common questions we get about income protection.
Critical illness cover pays a one-off lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specific serious condition listed in the policy. Income protection pays a monthly income if you cannot work — for any medical reason, not just a listed condition. They serve different purposes and many clients benefit from having both.
The deferred period is the waiting time between when you stop working and when the policy starts paying. Common options are 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks. A longer deferred period reduces the premium — and if your employer pays full sick pay for six months, for example, a 26-week deferred period makes more sense than four weeks. We align the deferred period to your actual employer benefits.
Yes — income protection is particularly important for self-employed people, as there is no employer sick pay to fall back on and statutory sick pay eligibility depends on Class 1 National Insurance contributions. Insurers assess self-employed income differently, typically looking at your net profit over recent years. We have experience placing cover for sole traders, partnerships, and director-shareholders.
Most policies allow you to protect up to 60–70% of your pre-illness gross income. The cap exists to ensure there remains an incentive to return to work. In practice, combined with any state benefits, this usually replaces a meaningful proportion of your take-home pay during a period of illness.
Could you survive without your income?
Find out in a no-obligation review exactly how exposed you are — and what it would cost to be properly protected.
Initial consultations are completely free of charge. There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The precise amount will depend upon your circumstances and will be agreed with you before proceeding but will range from £150 to £500 and this will be discussed and agreed with you at the earliest opportunity.