Income protection from £10 per month*
A regular monthly payment if you can’t work due to accident or illness, to help you keep up with your bills while you recover.
What is income protection?
Income protection insurance gives you a regular income if you can’t work because of illness or an accident. It replaces part of your income, not all of it.
Payments usually carry on until you can go back to work, or until you retire, die or reach the end of the policy term, whichever comes first. Some policies let you choose a shorter payment period instead, such as one, two or five years.
Insurers cap the monthly amount at a share of your earnings. MoneyHelper says policies typically pay between 50% and 65% of your income. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains why: policies usually pay a proportion of your income, minus state benefits and any income from similar policies, because the benefit is usually tax-free and so you still have a reason to return to work.
You also choose a deferred period: how long you wait after you stop work before payments begin. The most common are 4, 13 and 26 weeks and a year, and the longer you wait, the lower the monthly premiums.
Income protection is sometimes called permanent health insurance (PHI). It isn’t the same as critical illness cover, which pays a one-off lump sum if you have a specific serious illness.
Things to consider when you compare
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Deferred periodHow long you wait before payments start. People usually match it to their sick pay: with six months’ full pay from your employer, you might choose a six-month deferred period.
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Claim periodLong-term policies can pay until you’re able to return to work or the policy ends, while short-term policies usually only pay out for one or two years.
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Your occupationYour job affects the price. Own occupation cover pays if you can’t do your own job; it usually costs the most, but a claim is more likely to succeed. Any occupation cover only pays if you can’t do any kind of work.
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How much you can coverEach insurer limits the benefit to a share of your earnings, and the limits differ, as the table below shows. Citizens Advice says to expect about a half to two-thirds of your earnings before tax.
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Guaranteed or reviewable premiumsScottish Widows’ income protection premiums are guaranteed. Shepherds Friendly lets you choose level guaranteed premiums, fixed at the start, or age-costed reviewable premiums, which rise as you get older.
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Redundancy isn’t coveredIncome protection doesn’t pay out if you’re made redundant. Payment protection insurance can cover loan or mortgage payments if you become unemployed, but it usually stops after a set time.
Compare quotes from a panel of UK insurers
- Ages 18–59
- Paid monthly
- 60 second form
- Free quotes, no obligation
Income protection, sick pay and state benefits
- Statutory Sick Pay
- Up to £123.25 a week
- SSP is paid for
- Up to 28 weeks
- ESA while you’re assessed, 25 or over
- Up to £95.55 a week
- New Style ESA, work-related activity group
- 365 days
Before you choose cover, check what you’d get anyway. If you’re an employee, your employer may pay you Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): £123.25 a week or 80% of your normal weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 28 weeks. You can get more if your employer has its own sick pay scheme, so check your employment contract. If you can’t get SSP, or when it ends, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
If you’re self-employed you won’t get sick pay, although you might qualify for state benefits. You can apply for ESA if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed. New Style ESA depends on having paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years. While your claim is assessed it’s normally paid for 13 weeks, at up to £75.65 a week if you’re under 25 or up to £95.55 a week if you’re 25 or over.
Income protection can help fill the gap between these payments and your bills. The income protection calculator puts it together: it shows what SSP would pay, how long your savings would last and the most each insurer’s published rules would pay on your income.
How it compares with other cover
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Long-term income protectionDepending on the terms, payouts continue until you’re able to return to work or the policy ends. Policies are typically set up for around 30 to 35 years.
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Short-term income protectionSometimes called accident, sickness and unemployment cover. It usually only pays out for one or two years and can include mortgage payment protection insurance, which is not the same as mortgage life insurance.
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Critical illness coverPays a one-off lump sum if you have a specific serious illness. It doesn’t cover common reasons for time off work, such as back problems and stress. More on critical illness cover.
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Life insurancePays a lump sum to the people you choose if you die during the policy. Income protection pays you while you’re alive but can’t work, so the two do different jobs. See term life insurance and family life insurance.
Insurers that offer income protection
These are the insurers we review that sell income protection, with the limits and options they publish. Each name links to our review. Halifax, Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland offer Scottish Widows cover, and Nationwide offers Legal & General cover.
Across the market, the Financial Conduct Authority found that income protection had the lowest rate of claims accepted of all pure protection products, at 86%. During a claim, your insurer can review your health and may stop paying if it decides you no longer qualify.
| Insurer | Most it pays | Deferred periods | How long it pays | Claims paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aviva Income Protection+ through advisers; Living Costs Protection direct by phone | Income Protection+: 65% of the first £60,000 of gross earnings and 45% above, up to £20,000 a month. Living Costs Protection: £500 to £1,500 a month | Living Costs Protection: 4 to 26 weeks | Living Costs Protection: up to 12 months per claim | 90% acceptance rate (2025) |
| Bank of Scotland Scottish Widows Protect Income Protection Cover, arranged by phone | 60% of the first £70,000 of earnings and 45% above; up to £20,000 a month on level cover | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | 2-year or full-term cover | Not published |
| Best Insurance Best Income Insurance: short-term cover for accident and sickness, unemployment, or both | 65% of gross monthly income or £3,000 a month, whichever is lower | Best Insurance says it offers excess periods from back to day 1 up to 120 days | Short-term cover | Not published |
| Guardian Income Protection, part of the Protection Menu | 65% of earnings up to £60,000, 50% from £60,000 to £100,000 and 45% above; £2,500 to £250,000 a year | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | A choice of 2 payment periods | Not published |
| Halifax Scottish Widows Protect Income Protection Cover, arranged by phone | 60% of the first £70,000 of earnings and 45% above | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | 2-year or full-term cover | Not published |
| Legal & General Income Protection Benefit, through L&G’s own advisers | 60% of gross annual income up to £60,000 and 50% above, up to £20,000 a month | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | Can be limited to 12 or 24 months per claim | 85% (2025, new and continued claims) |
| Lloyds Bank Scottish Widows Protect Income Protection Cover, arranged by phone | 60% of the first £70,000 of earnings and 45% above; up to £20,000 a month on level cover | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | 2-year or full-term cover | Not published |
| LV= Income Protection, Budget Income Protection and Personal Sick Pay; quotes through LifeSearch, not direct | Up to 60% of pre-tax income | 1, 2, 3, 6 or 12 months (1 or 2 months may depend on your job) | Budget Income Protection: 12 or 24 months per claim | 88% (2025, including claims already in payment) |
| National Assurance Accident Sickness and Unemployment Cover, underwritten by AmTrust Specialty Limited | £2,000 a month or 65% of normal income, whichever is lower | Not published | At most 12 monthly payments | Not published |
| National Friendly Income Protection and Accident Only Income Protection | Up to 70% of earnings, £500 to £6,000 a month (£2,000 with a 5-year benefit period) | 30, 60, 90, 180 or 365 days | 1, 2 or 5 years | 79% (no period given) |
| Nationwide Legal & General Income Protection Benefit, through an L&G adviser | 60% of annual income up to £60,000 and 50% above, up to £20,000 a month | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | Can be limited to 12 or 24 months per claim | L&G: 85% (2025) |
| NFU Mutual Aviva Income Protection+, through NFU Mutual | 65% of the first £60,000 of earnings and 45% above, up to £240,000 a year | 4, 8, 13, 26, 52 or 104 weeks | As long as you can’t work (full cover to term), or up to 24 months per claim | 90% (2025, Aviva’s income protection claims) |
| Royal London Income Protection, part of the Personal Menu Plan | 65% of the first £60,000 of pre-tax earnings and 50% of the rest, up to £250,000 a year | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | 1, 2 or 5 years, or the whole term | 85.2% (2025) |
| Scottish Widows Scottish Widows Protect Income Protection Cover | 60% of earnings up to £70,000 a year and 45% above; up to £20,000 a month (level) or £12,000 (increasing) | 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | 2 years: up to 24 monthly payments per claim. Full term: no limit on claim payments before the policy ends | Not published |
| Shepherds Friendly Income Protection with a full or simplified application; Simply Income Protection through advisers | Up to 70% of income, capped at £33,600, £36,000 or £49,000 a year depending on the application and premium type | 1, 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | 1 or 2 years per claim, or long-term cover to retirement | 96% (2024) |
| The Exeter Income First, through advisers only | 65% of the first £60,000 of taxable income and 45% above; £500 to £10,000 a month | Day 1, or 1, 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks | To your chosen finishing age, or 2 or 5 years per claim | 93% (2025) |
| Vitality Income Protection Cover, part of the Personal Protection Plan | Up to 60% of gross salary; £250 to £16,666.67 a month | 7 days (self-employed only), or 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24 or 60 months | 12, 24 or 60 months, or to the end of the term | 95.4% (2023) |
| Zurich Income Protection and Income Protection Enhanced, through an adviser or LifeSearch | 65% of the first £60,000 of gross income and 45% above, up to £20,000 a month | 4, 8, 13, 26, 52 or 104 weeks | Full term or up to 24 months per claim | 95.4% (2025) |
Listed alphabetically, not ranked. Compiled on 3 October 2026 from each insurer’s published information, checked on 24 September 2026, 25 September 2026 and 3 October 2026. The documents behind each row are listed in our review of that insurer. Claims figures are each insurer’s own, for different years and measured in different ways, so they are not directly comparable.
Insurer guides
Our guides to single insurers’ income protection policies, listed alphabetically.
How to choose a policy
- Start with what you’d need, not the most you could insure. Add up the essential bills you’d have to pay each month, such as your mortgage or rent, and take off any income you’d still have. The income protection calculator does this for you.
- Match the deferred period to how long your sick pay and savings would last. A longer wait lowers the premium, but you would have to cover that time yourself.
- Decide whether you need cover that can pay until you retire, or whether a limited claim period would be enough.
- If you’re self-employed, check how the policy works out your income. The Financial Ombudsman Service says standard policies may not deal with self-employed income in the way you expect.
- Answer every question on the application fully and accurately, including those about your health and your income.
- You have 30 days after buying a policy to change your mind and get a full refund.
A broker can compare policies from several insurers and explain the options for your job.
From £10 per month*
Compare income protection plans
Cover if you can’t work due to accident or illness. Ages 18–59.
Fill in one quick form and a broker will call you to compare plans from a panel of UK insurers. Free quotes, no obligation.
Our broker partner Reassured is rated Excellent on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab): 4.8 out of 5 from 105,367 reviews (checked 2 October 2026).
Over 1 million families helped**
Income protection questions
To get quotes through our form you need to be aged 18–59 and work 16 or more hours a week. Each insurer sets its own rules. Individual income protection is open to people in full-time or part-time work and to the self-employed, and entry ages vary: for example, 18 to 59 at Guardian and 16 to 60 at Shepherds Friendly.
It’s the time you must have been off work before the policy starts paying. You usually have to wait at least four weeks, and payments can start up to two years after you stop work. The longer the wait, the lower the monthly premiums.
It depends on your policy. Long-term cover can pay until you’re able to return to work or the policy ends, while short-term policies usually only pay out for one or two years. During a claim, the insurer can review your health and may stop paying if it decides you no longer qualify.
No. Critical illness cover pays a one-off lump sum if you have a specific serious illness, while income protection pays a regular amount while you can’t work. Citizens Advice says critical illness cover can be much cheaper, but it covers a very limited range of illnesses and for a shorter period. See critical illness cover.
No. Income protection doesn’t pay out if you’re made redundant. Payment protection insurance can cover mortgage, credit card or loan payments if you become unemployed, but you may wait a few months for payments to start and they usually stop after a set time.
If you pay the premiums yourself out of taxed income, the payments are generally tax-free, and there’s no limit on how much you can receive tax-free. Sick pay from a group scheme your employer pays for is taxed as earnings.
Yes. You can apply for individual income protection if you’re self-employed, and you won’t have sick pay to fall back on. Check how the policy works out your income, as standard policies may not deal with self-employed income the way you expect. If you’re a sole trader or partner, you can’t deduct the premiums for your own cover from your trading profits.
The ABI says it covers most illnesses that leave you unable to work, including stress-related illness, mental health and physical health conditions. In 2025, a third of individual income protection claims were for musculoskeletal conditions, and claims for mental health conditions made up £39 million, nearly a fifth of the amount paid.
Most claims are accepted. Insurers paid a record £209 million in individual income protection claims in 2025, and 7,600 people went back to work with the support of these payouts and insurer health services. Even so, the Financial Conduct Authority found that income protection had the lowest rate of claims accepted of all pure protection products, at 86%. The table above shows the figures each insurer publishes.
Fill in the short form. A broker partner will usually call you within 1 hour to compare plans from a panel of UK insurers. Outside office hours, this could be the next working day.
This page is for general information only and should not be considered financial advice. The right cover depends on your personal circumstances.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources.
- MoneyHelper: What is income protection insurance? (opens in a new tab); Personal insurance when you’re self-employed (opens in a new tab) · moneyhelper.org.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- Financial Ombudsman Service: Income protection insurance (consumer guide to complaints) (opens in a new tab) · financial-ombudsman.org.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- GOV.UK: IPTM6105 - Sickness disability and unemployment insurance: types of policies (opens in a new tab); Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): overview (opens in a new tab); Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): what you'll get (opens in a new tab); Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): what you’ll get (opens in a new tab); New Style Employment and Support Allowance (opens in a new tab); Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): eligibility (opens in a new tab); Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): overview (opens in a new tab); Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): eligibility (opens in a new tab); IPTM6110 - Sickness disability and unemployment insurance: tax treatment: main rules: scope of the exemption: ITTOIA05/S735 (opens in a new tab); EIM06410 - Employment income: sick pay and injury payments: sick pay funded by the employer - permanent health insurance (opens in a new tab); BIM45560 - Specific deductions: insurance: own health policies and own insurance funds (opens in a new tab) · gov.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- Citizens Advice: Income protection insurance (opens in a new tab); Illness insurance (opens in a new tab) · citizensadvice.org.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- Association of British Insurers: Income protection (opens in a new tab); Protection insurers pay out £7.84 billion to help customers safeguard their finances (press release, 29 June 2026) (opens in a new tab) · abi.org.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- Financial Conduct Authority: MS24/1.4: Market study into the distribution of pure protection products to retail customers – Interim Report (January 2026) (opens in a new tab); MS24/1.5: Market study into the distribution of pure protection products to retail customers – Final Report (September 2026) (opens in a new tab) · fca.org.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- Insurer documents: Bank of Scotland, Guardian, Halifax, Lloyds Bank, Nationwide, Royal London, Scottish Widows, Shepherds Friendly. Each insurer’s policy documents, claims figures and announcements are listed in our review of that insurer.
Related pages
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Critical illness cover
A lump sum on diagnosis of a serious illness your policy covers.
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Family life insurance
Cover that helps your family with everyday costs.
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Term life insurance
Cover for a set number of years, with level or decreasing cover.
