life-insurance
⏱ 3 min read
📅 Updated May 2026
Income Protection Insurance UK 2026: Costs, Providers & Guide
Income protection insurance UK 2026 — pays 50–70% of salary if you can't work due to illness.
⚡ Income Protection Insurance UK 2026 — Replaces Your Income If You Cannot Work
Income protection pays a regular monthly income if you cannot work due to illness or injury — typically 50–70% of your salary. Premiums from £20–£50/month for most workers. LV=, Aviva, and Royal London lead the market. |
Income protection insurance pays you a regular tax-free income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Unlike critical illness cover (which pays a lump sum), income protection pays monthly — replacing your salary until you recover or reach retirement age. Income Protection vs Critical Illness Cover | Income Protection | Critical Illness Cover |
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| Pays out | Monthly income if you cannot work | Lump sum on diagnosis of listed illness | | When you must be | Unable to work | Alive at claim (survival period applies) | | Covers | Any illness or injury stopping work | Specific listed conditions only | | Payment period | Until recovery, or retirement age | One-off lump sum | | Average cost | £20–£50/month | £50–£100/month | | Best for | Replacing lost income long-term | Paying off mortgage or debts |
Best Income Protection Insurance UK 2026| Provider | Trustpilot | Deferred Period | Max Cover | Key Feature |
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| 🏆 LV= (Liverpool Victoria) | 4.5/5 | 4–52 weeks | 65% of income | Best customer satisfaction, flexible terms | | Aviva | 4.2/5 | 4–52 weeks | 60% of income | Strong financial strength, DigiCare+ | | Royal London | 4.3/5 | 4–52 weeks | 60% of income | Mutual insurer, own occupation definition | | Zurich | 4.1/5 | 4–52 weeks | 60% of income | Good for complex health histories | | Guardian | 4.2/5 | 4–52 weeks | 70% of income | Innovative policy definitions, generous terms |
Income Protection Cost UK 2026| Annual Salary | Cover (60%) | Monthly Premium (approx, 26-week deferred) |
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| £25,000 | £15,000/year | £20–£35/month | | £35,000 | £21,000/year | £25–£45/month | | £50,000 | £30,000/year | £35–£65/month | | £75,000 | £45,000/year | £50–£90/month |
| 💡 The deferred period (waiting period before payments start) is the biggest driver of cost. A 4-week deferred period costs significantly more than a 26-week or 52-week deferred period. Choose a deferred period that matches how long your employer sick pay or savings would last. |
What is income protection insurance?Income protection insurance pays you a regular monthly income — typically 50–70% of your salary — if you cannot work due to illness or injury. Payments continue until you recover, reach retirement age, or the policy term ends. Unlike critical illness, it covers any illness or injury. How much does income protection cost?Income protection typically costs £20–£65/month depending on your salary, occupation, age, health, and deferred period. A 26-week deferred period significantly reduces premiums compared to a 4-week wait. Is income protection worth it?For most people, yes — particularly the self-employed (who have no sick pay entitlement), employees whose sick pay is limited, and anyone with a mortgage or dependants. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is only £116.75/week — income protection fills the gap. What is the deferred period on income protection?The deferred period is how long you must be unable to work before payments start. Common options are 4 weeks, 13 weeks, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks. A longer deferred period significantly reduces the premium. Choose a period that matches how long your employer sick pay or savings would cover you. Sources: LV= income protection · Aviva income protection UK · Association of British Insurers income protection data 2026 · GOV.UK Statutory Sick Pay |
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The content on Kaeltripton.com is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, legal or regulatory advice. Kaeltripton.com is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is not a financial adviser, mortgage broker, insurance intermediary or investment firm. Nothing on this site should be construed as a personal recommendation. Rates, figures and product details are indicative only, subject to change without notice, and should always be verified directly with the relevant provider, HMRC, the FCA register, the Bank of England, Ofgem or other appropriate authority before any financial decision is made. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. If you require regulated financial advice, please consult a qualified adviser authorised by the FCA.
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Chandraketu Tripathi
Finance Editor · Kaeltripton.com
Chandraketu (CK) Tripathi, founder and lead editor of Kael Tripton. 22 years in finance and marketing across 23 markets. Writes on UK personal finance, tax, mortgages, insurance, energy, and investing. Sources: HMRC, FCA, Ofgem, BoE, ONS.
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