Income Protection Calculator UK

Safeguard Your Earnings: How Our UK Income Protection Calculator Guides Your Decisions for a Secure Financial Future

What would happen if you were suddenly unable to work due to an illness or injury? For many of us, our monthly income is the engine that powers our entire life. It pays the mortgage, covers the bills, and puts food on the table. Without it, things can quickly become very difficult.

This is where income protection insurance comes in. It’s a financial safety net designed to replace a portion of your earnings if you're signed off work by a doctor. But how much cover do you need? And what will it cost?

These questions can feel overwhelming, which is why we created our free Income Protection Calculator. This simple tool is the perfect starting point to understand your needs and see how affordable peace of mind can be.

What Exactly is Income Protection Insurance?

Income protection insurance is a long-term policy that pays you a regular, tax-free income if you can't work because of illness or an accident.

Think of it as a substitute salary. It's designed to help you cover your essential outgoings, such as:

• Mortgage or rent payments
• Utility bills (gas, electricity, water)
• Council tax
• Food and groceries
• Loan and credit card repayments

It’s important not to confuse income protection with 'critical illness cover', which pays a one-off lump sum for a specific, serious condition, or 'payment protection insurance' (PPI), which is often sold with a single debt like a loan. Income protection is more flexible and is designed to support you for a longer period.

Why You Need to Plan for the Unexpected

It's easy to think "it won't happen to me," but illness can affect anyone. Relying on state support might not be enough to maintain your lifestyle.

Currently, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in the UK is just £116.75 per week, and it only lasts for a maximum of 28 weeks. For most people, this is a significant drop from their regular earnings and simply isn't enough to cover the bills. (illustrative estimate)

Imagine your monthly outgoings are £2,000. SSP would provide you with around £505 a month, leaving a shortfall of nearly £1,500. An income protection policy is designed to bridge that gap. (illustrative estimate)

How to Use Our Income Protection Calculator

Our calculator is designed to be simple and quick. In less than a minute, you can get a clear estimate of what your cover might cost. It demystifies the process and puts you in control.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to the information you’ll need to provide:

Calculator Inputs:

1. Your Gross Annual Income: This is your total salary before any tax or National Insurance is deducted. Insurers typically allow you to cover between 50% and 70% of this amount.
2. Your Age: Your age is a key factor, as the risk of illness generally increases as we get older.
3. Your Occupation: Insurers group jobs into risk classes. An office-based role is considered lower risk than a manual labour job, which can affect the premium.
4. Deferral Period: This is the waiting period between when you stop working and when the policy starts paying out. Common options are 4, 8, 13, 26, or 52 weeks. You can align this with your employer's sick pay policy or how long your savings could last. A longer deferral period means a lower premium.
5. Payment Period: This is the maximum length of time the policy will pay out for a single claim. It can be a short term (e.g., 2 or 5 years) or a long term (paying out until you reach retirement age).

Calculator Outputs:

Once you enter your details, the Income Protection Calculator will provide you with:

• An Estimated Monthly Premium: This is an indicative cost for your policy.
• Your Maximum Monthly Benefit: This is the tax-free monthly income you would receive if you made a successful claim.

A Worked Example: Understanding the Numbers

Let's look at an example to see how it works in practice.

Meet David, a 40-year-old graphic designer earning £45,000 a year. (illustrative estimate)

• Gross Income (illustrative): £45,000
• Desired Cover (illustrative): 60% of his income, which is £27,000 a year, or £2,250 per month.
• Deferral Period: He chooses 13 weeks, as his employer offers three months of full sick pay.
• Payment Period: He opts for a policy that pays out until he turns 67.

David enters these details into the calculator. It estimates that his monthly premium would be around £40 per month. (illustrative estimate)

For the price of a few takeaway coffees, David could secure a tax-free income of £2,250 every month to protect his family and home if he were unable to work long-term. (illustrative estimate)

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Cover

Using our calculator helps avoid guesswork, but here are some common pitfalls to be aware of:

• Underinsuring Yourself: It's tempting to opt for the lowest possible premium, but if the monthly payout isn't enough to cover your essential bills, the policy won't do its job properly.
• Getting the Deferral Period Wrong: Don't pay for cover you don't need. If you have generous sick pay, choose a longer deferral period to lower your premium. Conversely, if you have no savings, a shorter period is vital.
• Forgetting About Inflation (illustrative): A benefit of £2,000 a month is great today, but its buying power will reduce over time. Consider an 'index-linked' policy, which increases your cover amount each year to keep pace with inflation.
• Assuming You're Covered Elsewhere: Don't assume your employer's policy is sufficient. Many only offer basic cover for a limited time.

What to Do After You Get Your Result

The calculator provides an excellent estimate, but the next step is to get a personalised quote. This is where an expert broker like WeCovr can help.

We work with a panel of leading UK insurers to find the right policy for your exact circumstances and budget. An adviser will guide you through the formal application, which involves some health and lifestyle questions, to secure the best possible terms.

As a WeCovr customer, you also get complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, to help you stay on top of your health goals. Furthermore, customers who arrange their cover through us can often benefit from discounts on other policies, such as private medical or life insurance.

Connecting Income Protection with Other Key Insurance

Income protection is one part of a robust financial safety net. It works best when considered alongside other types of protection.

Private Medical Insurance (PMI) While income protection replaces your lost salary, Private Medical Insurance is designed to cover the costs of private medical care. This can give you faster access to specialists, diagnostic scans, and treatment, helping you get better and potentially return to work sooner.

It is crucial to understand that UK PMI is designed to cover acute conditions that arise after your policy begins. It does not cover pre-existing conditions (illnesses you already have) or chronic conditions (long-term illnesses like diabetes or asthma that require ongoing management rather than a cure).

Life Insurance Life Insurance serves a different purpose entirely. It pays out a tax-free lump sum to your family or chosen beneficiaries if you pass away during the policy term. This money can be used to pay off a mortgage, cover funeral costs, and provide for your family's future financial needs.

At WeCovr, our advisers can help you assess your needs for all three types of cover, ensuring there are no gaps in your protection.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is the monthly income from the policy taxable? No. Payouts from a personal income protection policy that you pay for yourself are completely tax-free.

2. How much of my income can I protect? Insurers typically allow you to cover up to 50-70% of your gross (pre-tax) income. This is to ensure you still have an incentive to return to work when you are well enough.

3. I'm self-employed. Can I get income protection? Yes, and it's arguably even more important if you're self-employed as you have no employer sick pay to fall back on. You can typically cover a percentage of your pre-tax profits, averaged over the last few years.

4. Does income protection cover redundancy? No. A standard income protection policy only covers your inability to work due to illness or injury. Unemployment or redundancy cover is a separate type of insurance.

Take the First Step Today

Your ability to earn an income is your most valuable asset. Protecting it is one of the most sensible financial decisions you can make.

Don't leave your future to chance. Use our free Income Protection Calculator today to get an instant estimate and take the first step towards securing your financial wellbeing.

Once you have your result, contact WeCovr for a free, no-obligation quote. Our friendly experts are ready to help you compare the market and find the perfect cover to protect you and your family.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics (ONS): Mortality, earnings, and household statistics.
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Insurance and consumer protection guidance.
• Association of British Insurers (ABI): Life insurance and protection market publications.
• HMRC: Tax treatment guidance for relevant protection and benefits products.