1️⃣ First: What Do Self-Employed Carers Actually Get?

If you’re self-employed in the UK, you don’t get:

• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

• Holiday pay

• Employer protection

You may be able to claim:

• New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) — but only if you’ve paid enough National Insurance

• Universal Credit (means-tested)

• Or nothing at all

That’s why income protection insurance is heavily marketed to us.

2️⃣ What Is “Private Sick Pay” Really?

It’s usually one of two things:

A. Short-Term Income Protection

Pays a weekly amount if you’re signed off sick.

BUT:

• Often only after a waiting period (4–8 weeks common)

• Many policies exclude pre-existing conditions

• Mental health cover can be restricted

• Some won’t cover back pain (which… carers 🙃)

B. Accident & Sickness Policies

Cheaper.
More limited.
Often capped at low payouts.

They may only cover:

• Hospital stays

• Accidents (not illness)

• Or very specific circumstances

3️⃣ Why This Matters for Carers

As carers, we are:

• On our feet 14–16 hours

• Lifting

• Sleep deprived

• Exposed to infection

• Emotionally stretched

The most common reasons carers are off sick?

• Back injuries

• Norovirus / flu

• COVID

• Exhaustion / burnout

Ironically, some of those are the hardest things to get covered properly.

4️⃣ The Bit No One Talks About

Let’s say you earn £900 a week.

You take out a policy that pays £600 per week.

Premium: £45–£80 per month depending on age and health.

Waiting period: 4 weeks.

So if you’re off sick for:

• 1 week → you get nothing.

• 2 weeks → you get nothing.

• 3 weeks → you get nothing.

• 4 weeks → you get nothing.

• 5 weeks → you get one week paid.

Many short illnesses don’t trigger a payout.

That’s not to say it’s pointless — but it’s not a magic safety net.

5️⃣ Smarter Questions to Ask Before You Buy

Instead of asking:

“Who do you recommend?”

Ask:

• What is the waiting period?

• What exactly counts as being “unable to work”?

• Are lifting injuries covered?

• Is mental health covered fully?

• How long does it pay for?

• Is the payout taxable?

• Does it increase with inflation?

• Does it cover overseas illness (important for expat carers)?

If you’re commuting like many UK-based live-in carers who travel from abroad, this becomes even more important.

6️⃣ Alternatives (or Add-Ons) to Consider

Some carers choose instead to:

🔹 Build a 4–8 week emergency fund

Boring. Sensible. Powerful.

🔹 Increase weekly rate slightly

And allocate £50–£100 per week into a “Sickness Buffer” account.

🔹 Join a friendly society

Organisations like:

• Shepherds Friendly Society

• Holloway Friendly

These sometimes offer more personal underwriting than big insurers.

🔹 Speak to a proper independent financial adviser

Not someone selling one product.

7️⃣ The Hard Truth

The real issue isn’t insurance.

It’s that independent carers are carrying all the risk alone.

Agencies get paid whether we’re sick or not.

Families still need cover.

But the person physically doing the job?
No safety net.

That’s why this matters.

8️⃣ So… Should You Get It?

There isn’t a universal answer.

It depends on:

• Your savings

• Your health history

• Your age

• Whether you have dependents

• Whether you could survive 4–6 weeks without income