Life insurance
Life insurance that puts them first
Whatever happens, the people who depend on you are looked after.
Income Protection
Keep your income coming in when illness or injury means you cannot work.
Income protection pays you a regular, usually tax-free monthly income if illness or injury stops you working, so the mortgage, the rent and everyday bills still get paid while you recover.
We compare cover across the whole UK market to find the policy that fits your job, your budget and the way you would want to be paid, and arranging it through us never costs more.
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot, more than 10,000 reviews. Named Insurance Broker of the Decade at the British Insurance Awards 2024.
We compare income protection from leading UK insurers:
The value of protection insurance in the UK
£7.84bn
paid in UK protection claims in 2025.
Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Group Risk Development (GRiD)
97.9%
of individual protection claims paid.
Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Group Risk Development (GRiD)
£21.5m
paid out every day.
Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Group Risk Development (GRiD)
Why compare income protection with Howden?
Comparing income protection with Howden means one conversation gives you the whole market, not a single insurer's view.
- Whole of market. We compare income protection from leading UK insurers, so you see how policies really differ, from how they define your job to how long they pay out.
- Free, independent advice. Our advice costs you nothing, and our price promise means you never pay more for cover by arranging it through us.
- The detail that matters. Income protection varies more than almost any other cover, so we explain the waiting periods, payment terms and occupation definitions in plain language.
- Rated Excellent on Trustpilot. More than 10,000 reviews from people we have helped.
- A proven team. Named Insurance Broker of the Decade at the British Insurance Awards 2024.
- Health history is not an automatic no. If you have had health problems before, we help you find insurers who take a fair view.
Why choose Howden?
500,000+
protected clients
30+ years
of insuring greatness
Awarded
Insurance broker of the decade
Rated ‘Excellent’
on Trustpilot
What is income protection?
Income protection is a policy that pays you a regular monthly income, usually tax-free, if illness or injury means you cannot work.
You choose how much income to cover, how soon the payments start and how long they can last, then pay a monthly premium to keep the cover in place. If you cannot work because of illness or injury, the policy pays you a monthly income after an agreed waiting period, and it keeps paying until you recover, return to work, reach the end of the payment term, or retire, depending on the policy you choose. The money is yours to use for the mortgage, the rent, the bills, or anything else that keeps life running.
We help you decide how much cover makes sense, when the payments should begin and how long they should run, then we put the policy in place and stay on hand if anything ever needs to change.
Do I need income protection?
You are likely to need income protection if you rely on your earnings to pay the mortgage, the rent or the bills, and could not manage for long if that income stopped.
Most people insure their home, their car and their phone, yet leave the income that pays for all of them unprotected. If illness or injury stopped your pay, the safety net is thinner than many expect.
£123
a week is the most Statutory Sick Pay pays, for up to 28 weeks, then it stops.
(gov.uk, 2026 to 2027)
£0
sick pay for the self-employed, who do not qualify for Statutory Sick Pay at all.
(gov.uk)
Just 1 in 14
self-employed workers have private income protection insurance.” This applies to self-employed workers, not all working adults.
(gov.uk)
Ask yourself one question: if you could not work for six months, how would the mortgage and the bills get paid?
Employer sick pay helps, but for many people it is modest and does not last long, and the self-employed have no safety net at all. That is exactly the gap income protection is built to fill, and it is the conversation we have with people every day.
How much income protection do I need?
A common approach is to cover around half to two-thirds of your gross salary, which, because the payments are usually tax-free, often lands close to your normal take-home pay.
Insurers cap the amount you can cover, usually somewhere around half to two-thirds of your earnings, so that going back to work is always worthwhile. Within that, you choose the monthly amount that would keep your household running, along with how soon the payments should start and how long they should last. Many people match the waiting period to their savings or their employer sick pay, so the cover steps in just as that support runs out.
If working that out feels daunting, it is exactly what we do every day. We will help you land on a level of cover that protects the essentials without paying for more than you need.
How does income protection pay out?
Income protection pays you a regular monthly income once a valid claim is agreed, usually free of income tax, after a waiting period you choose.
| Policy feature | How it works | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting period | The time you wait after stopping work before payments begin, often 4, 8, 13 or 26 weeks | A longer wait usually means a lower premium |
| Payment term | How long payments can continue, either a set number of years or right up to retirement | Long-term cover pays for as long as you cannot work, up to retirement |
| Amount covered | A set monthly income, usually up to around two-thirds of your earnings | Chosen to keep your essential costs covered |
| Proportionate benefit | A reduced payment if you return to a lower-paid role while recovering | Helps you go back to work without losing all your cover |
Because the payments are usually tax-free, a benefit of around half to two-thirds of your salary can come close to your normal take-home pay. We help you set the waiting period and payment term so the cover fits both your budget and the support you already have.
What are the different types of income protection?
There are two types of income protection available to people: accident, sickness and unemployment insurance, and long-term income protection. Both look to pay you a regular income until either you go back to work, or the policy term ends.
Accident, sickness and unemployment insurance
Other words used to describe this type of policy include mortgage payment insurance, payment protection insurance and short-term income protection. This type of policy is usually bought to cover something specific, for example a mortgage.
Long-term income protection
Long-term income protection will provide you with a steady, regular income until you are fit for work, or until the policy term ends. When thinking about income protection, it is always best to get advice and understand the options available to you.
How much does income protection cost?
Income protection often costs less than people expect, and the price depends mainly on your job, your health and the choices you make about how the cover pays out.
- The amount of monthly income you want to cover.
- Your occupation, since some jobs carry more risk than others.
- The waiting period before payments start, as a longer wait lowers the premium.
- How long payments can last, whether a set term or up to retirement.
- Your age, health and whether you smoke.
Why we do not quote a headline price
Income protection is priced on your occupation, your income, your health and any medical exclusions, so a single example premium can be misleading and rarely reflects what you would actually pay. Rather than quote a figure that may not apply to you, we search the market and give you a real, personalised price to compare.
Is income protection worth it?
Income protection is worth it for most people who rely on their earnings, because the monthly cost is usually small next to the income it would replace.
For most people their income is their single biggest financial asset, funding the home they live in and everything in it. Income protection is one of the few policies that can pay out again and again across a working life, and for a manageable monthly premium it can replace a large part of your pay for years if illness or injury keeps you off work.
It is also fair to say when it may matter less. If you have substantial savings, or generous, long-lasting employer sick pay, you may need less cover, or none. We will look at what you already have and tell you honestly either way.
Waiting does not make income protection cheaper. It makes it dearer.
We insure our homes, our cars, even our phones, yet the income that pays for all of them usually goes unprotected. Statutory Sick Pay is just £123.25 a week and runs for up to 28 weeks, and the self-employed get nothing at all. Income protection fills that gap with a monthly income if illness or injury stops you working, so the mortgage, the bills and everyday life can carry on while you focus on getting better.
Frequently asked questions about income protection
Here are the questions we are asked most often about income protection.
Income protection basics
What is income protection and how does it work?
Income protection is a policy that pays you a regular monthly income if illness or injury stops you working. Instead of a lump sum it replaces part of your earnings while you recover, so everyday costs like the mortgage, rent and bills can still be met.
Do I need income protection if I already get sick pay?
Income protection is worth considering if your sick pay would not last long, which for many people is only a few weeks or months. It is designed to step in when that support runs out, and the self-employed, who get no sick pay at all, often benefit most.
How much income protection do I need?
Most policies let you cover around half to two-thirds of your salary, which, because the payments are usually tax-free, can come close to your normal take-home pay. We help you choose an amount that keeps the essentials covered without paying for more than you need.
How long does income protection pay out for?
Short-term income protection pays for a set period, often one or two years per claim, while long-term income protection can pay until you recover, return to work or reach retirement. We help you weigh the lower cost of short-term cover against the fuller protection of long-term cover.
When would income protection start paying if I could not work?
Income protection begins paying after a waiting period that you choose when you take out the policy, commonly 4, 8, 13 or 26 weeks. Many people line this up with their savings or employer sick pay, so the cover starts just as that support ends.
Cost, cover and advice
How much does income protection cost?
Income protection has no single price, because it depends on your job, age, health and the waiting period and payment term you choose. For many people it is more affordable than expected, and we focus on the balance between meaningful cover and a premium that fits your budget.
What illnesses and injuries does income protection cover?
Income protection can cover a wide range of physical and, on many policies, mental health conditions that stop you doing your job, from back problems to recovery after surgery. Insurers define this differently, so we explain how each one treats your occupation and your health.
Does income protection cover redundancy?
Standard income protection covers illness and injury rather than losing your job, so it does not usually pay out for redundancy. If unemployment is a concern, we can look at accident, sickness and unemployment cover, which can include protection if you lose your job.
Is income protection worth it if I am self-employed?
Income protection is often especially valuable if you are self-employed, because your income usually stops the moment you cannot work and there is no sick pay to fall back on. It replaces part of that income while you recover, so the business can pause without the bills doing the same.
Should I go direct to an insurer or use a broker like Howden?
Going through Howden means we compare income protection across a range of insurers rather than showing you one option, and our advice is free and independent. Income protection varies a lot between insurers, from how they define your job to how long they pay, so having someone explain the differences really helps, and using us never costs more.
What do you need to get an income protection quote?
To get an income protection quote, we ask for a few details about you, your job and the income you want to protect.
- Your occupation and salary, since both affect how much you can cover and the price.
- Your age, health and medical history.
- Whether you smoke, and a little about your lifestyle.
- How soon you would want payments to start, and how long they should last.
- Any sick pay or cover you already have through work.
You do not need every answer perfect to get started. We will guide you through each question and explain why it matters, so the quote we find reflects your real situation.
Health insurance
Helps you get diagnosis and treatment faster when you are unwell.
Provides you and your family with speedy access to private healthcare via UK private medical facilities.
Over 50s life insurance
Guaranteed acceptance with no medical questions, mainly for funeral costs or a small legacy.
Whatever happens, the people who depend on you are looked after.
Unemployment Cover
Allows your finances to be taken care of when you can’t, so your family doesn’t miss out
A short-term income protection policy providing cover for up to 12 months should you be unable to work due to involuntary redundancy.