Life cover pays a lump sum if you die during the term. Income protection aims to replace part of your salary if illness or injury stops you working. Both have a place; buying the wrong one first is a common and expensive mistake.
List monthly obligations that would continue without your income: mortgage or rent, council tax, utilities, childcare, and minimum debt payments. Then check what sick pay your employer actually provides, including duration and any waiting period.
If your household depends on your earnings for several years, income protection often deserves attention before extra life cover beyond the mortgage. If dependants would struggle to clear a home loan after a death, term life cover sized to that loan and a few years of living costs may come first.
Workplace schemes sometimes already cover part of the need. Bring those benefit booklets to any protection conversation so you are not paying twice for the same risk.