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Manual workers least likely to have income protection – National Friendly

23% of manual workers said they expect to have a workplace accident in the next one to three years, higher than the national average of 19%. 

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Manual workers least likely to have income protection – National Friendly
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Manual workers in Britain are more worried about having a workplace accident than other groups but are the least likely to have any financial protection in place, research from National Friendly found.

Nearly one in four (23%) manual workers said they expect to have a workplace accident in the next one to three years, higher than the national average of 19%. 

Despite this, just 4% of manual workers had income protection and only 1% had accident-only income protection. 

National Friendly also found that 36% of manual workers had never considered what they would do if a non-fatal accident affected their finances, compared to the national average of 34%.

One in three (33%) said they would be more likely to buy accident-only income protection if it was more affordable, and 15% said they would consider it if there were clear examples of what is and isn’t covered.

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National Friendly is set to launch its new report, Bruised Britain #2: The Mishap Gap, in October 2025, with more detail on accident risk and protection gaps in the UK.

Graham Singleton, CEO at National Friendly, said: “We’re excited to launch this insightful research that reveals a compelling market opportunity that benefits all stakeholders in the protection ecosystem.

“Among a study of 5,000 consumers, we have addressed perceptions, costs and attitudes relating to accidents in Britain today. 

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“Many people are living in the aftermath of an everyday accident which has temporarily or permanently altered the course of their life, work and finances.”

Singleton added: “As a specialist provider, with a mutual heritage spanning over 150 years, National Friendly sees non-traditional protection policies such as Accident-Only Income Protection and short-term protection like Friendly Shield as a vital stepping-stone for those who would otherwise remain unprotected – getting people onto the protection ladder and opening doors to broader conversations.

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“While the report looks at the impact of accidents across all consumers, we’ve drilled down to focus on underserved groups in society including those in manual work that may be more likely to have an accident and can often be overlooked by the protection industry.”

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Paul Foody, chief operating officer at LifeSearch, said: “In conversations we have with customers – and as evidenced in the National Friendly research – it’s increasingly apparent that consumers are becoming more aware of the different types of risks they face and how these might affect their household income. 

“Advisers need to consider those risks when recommending products and respond to the individual’s financial resilience as well as their type of work, interests, and lifestyle.”

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