INCOME PROTECTION: 'IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKE OR BREAK IF YOU FIND YOU CAN'T WORK'

In reality, however, 16 percent of the working-age population will suffer a disability that prevents them from working, while around 300,000 people a year fall out of work and into the welfare system because of health related issues.

The "it won't happen to me" attitude is very common. The truth is that it's really an "I hope it won't happen to me" attitude, but it encourages inaction when it comes to preparing for an eventuality that's more likely than they think.

The research shows that only four in ten people are educated of how to protect their income should they become unable to work due to health problems.

Peter Hamilton, head of retail propositions at Zurich, discloses, “Studies show that few people have adequate protection or savings to protect them against hardship if they are unable to work. There also seems to be a worrying lack of awareness of the support available through income protection, which should form the building blocks of good financial planning."

He further points out that in the UK was seeing a shift of responsibility from the state and employers on to individuals to make their own provision for themselves and their families if they become unable to remain in employment.

"Seven Families" was launched to raise awareness of the financial and emotional damage that long-term illness or disability can do to a family and its finances.

The campaign, backed by the charity Disability Rights UK and many of Britain's leading insurance companies, aimed to highlight income protection insurance by handing financial help to seven families for a year.

Daniel Pinder is one such person who has benefitted from the campaign. Daniel Pinder had suffered a series of serious health setbacks but receiving aid from Seven Families has made a huge and positive difference to his life. He said, "I wasn't prepared to deal with the changes to my health, especially with regards to how it affected others as well as me."

The financial aid from the campaign allowed him to buy extra equipment and services like crutches, wheelchair, cooling aids, electrical stockings and electrical stimulators which greatly improved his abilities, health and personal well being too.