The risk most people underestimate
It is easy to assume that serious illness, injury, or losing the ability to work is something that happens to other people. In reality, it is one of the most common financial shocks British households face — and one of the least prepared for.
If illness or injury stopped you working tomorrow, Statutory Sick Pay would pay a maximum of £123.25 a week for up to 28 weeks — roughly £534 a month, and then nothing (Source: GOV.UK, Statutory Sick Pay rate 2026/27, effective 6 April 2026). For most households, that falls a long way short of the mortgage, the bills and the weekly shop. In January 2026 the Financial Conduct Authority found that 58% of UK adults hold no pure protection product — life insurance, critical illness cover or income protection — despite many being likely to benefit, and named closing this "protection gap" a priority (Source: FCA, interim findings of its pure protection market study, published 29 January 2026). The truth is that most of us are far more likely to face a period of being unable to work than we are to die during our working years.
What happens if your income stops?
If illness or injury keeps you off work, Statutory Sick Pay provides a maximum of £123.25 per week for up to 28 weeks — equivalent to roughly £534 a month. For most households, that is nowhere near enough to cover a mortgage, rent, and everyday living costs, let alone maintain a normal standard of living.
After Statutory Sick Pay ends, many people assume the state will continue to support them. In practice, support such as Employment and Support Allowance is modest and means-tested, and was never designed to replace a working income. This is the gap that financial protection is built to fill.
The cover we can help with
- Income protection — a regular, often tax-free benefit if you are unable to work due to illness or injury, typically calculated to replace 50–70% of your usual earnings until you return to work or retire.
- Life insurance — a lump sum (or, in some policies, a regular benefit) paid to your family if you die during the policy term, helping protect a mortgage, dependants, or your family's standard of living.
- Critical illness cover — a one-off lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specified serious condition, such as cancer, a heart attack, or a stroke.
- Family income benefit — a regular benefit, rather than a lump sum, paid to your family for a set period if you die — often easier for a surviving partner to manage than a single large payment.
Why work with an independent adviser?
Protection insurance is not one-size-fits-all. The right combination of cover depends on your income, your dependants, your existing employer benefits, your mortgage, and your health. As an independent firm, we search the whole of market rather than recommending from a single insurer's range — meaning we can match you to the policy that is genuinely right for your circumstances, not the one that is easiest to sell.
We will also be honest if you do not need a particular type of cover, or if your existing employer benefits already provide adequate protection. Our role is to make sure you are properly protected — not over-insured.