In these tough economic times many households are finding that their regular monthly bills are rising faster than ever and putting a real strain on incomes and finances.

One recent example is the cost of energy bills with a recent Consumer Focus survey suggesting that 40% of households are facing significant increases in their monthly fuel costs. When added to rises in family food bills, insurance costs and many household expenses, the risk of increasing levels of debt is a real concern for many families, with the situation exacerbated should families need to turn to loans to help make ends meet or any wage earner be away from work for any reason.

So now more than ever it makes sense to look at plans such as Shepherds Friendly’s income protection which provides cover to ensure families can go on meeting their regular monthly commitments should sickness or an accident mean an extended absence from work and potentially a reduction in family income.

Shepherds Friendly income protection  plan is available to anyone aged between 18 and 54 and provides cover for a minimum of a five year period. The plan can cover essential items such as rent, mortgage, loans, credit cards, fuel and water bills, household insurance and much more, with the option to cover 100% of these items or to increase this to 125% of cover to allow for any future increases.

The plan’s benefits start from £200 a month and can be as high as £2000 a month depending on the level of premium and the waiting period selected before benefits start to be paid. There is a choice of waiting periods available from 4 weeks up to 52 weeks to allow policy holders to arrive at a monthly premium level to suit them.

With no obvious end in sight to the economic issues affecting many UK families, taking out affordable cover to ensure that those essential household bills can still be paid would seem to be a worthwhile option deserving careful consideration.

For more information, visit the Shepherds Friendly Income Protection page.