Most people insure things they can see –
- Their home
- Their car
- Their mobile phone
- Their pets
However, few insure the thing that pays for all of them – Their income.
For most households, income is the engine that keeps everything running. It pays the mortgage, covers the bills, funds family life and helps build financial security for the future.
Yet many people have no idea how much of their income would continue if they became too ill to work.
A Simple Question
Imagine you were unable to work tomorrow because of illness or injury.
How long would your income continue?
For some people, the answer might be:
- A few weeks
- A few months
- Six months on full pay
- Nothing at all
Many people simply don’t know.
That can be a problem because mortgage payments, household bills and everyday living costs don’t usually stop when income does.
What Protection Do You Already Have?
Before looking at insurance, it’s worth understanding what protection may already be available.
This could include:
- Employer sick pay
- Death in service benefits
- Existing insurance policies
- Savings and investments
- A partner’s income
Some people discover they already have more protection than they realised.
Others find significant gaps.
The important thing is understanding what would actually happen if your income stopped.
Statutory Sick Pay Isn’t Always Enough
Many employees are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
However, SSP is often much lower than people expect.
For households with mortgages, childcare costs and other financial commitments, it may only cover a small proportion of normal monthly spending.
This is why some employers offer additional sick pay arrangements.
The challenge is that these arrangements vary significantly from one employer to another.
What About Self-Employed People?
For self-employed people and business owners, the position can be even more challenging.
Many business owners focus on protecting the business itself but spend less time considering what would happen if they personally became unable to work.
If the business depends heavily on their involvement, illness can affect both personal income and business income at the same time.
The Income Gap
The biggest risk is often not having no income at all.
It’s having less income than you need.
For example –
- Mortgage payments remain the same
- Household bills remain the same
- Food costs remain the same
Meanwhile income may reduce significantly.
This is where financial pressure often begins to build.
A Useful Exercise
Take a few minutes to answer three questions:
- How much income comes into my household each month?
- How much of that income would continue if I couldn’t work?
- How long would it continue for?
Many people are surprised by the answers.
Final Thoughts
When people think about financial protection, they often focus on what would happen if they died.
However, for many people of working age, a more immediate concern may be what happens if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
Understanding how much of your income is actually protected can help identify potential gaps and give you the opportunity to address them before they become a problem.
You may discover you’re already well protected or you may discover you’re not.
Either way, it’s better to know.
Information correct at time of writing – June 2026.
Easy Street Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA No. 1013595.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debts secured on it.
