Nearly half of the UK’s working women do not have life insurance or income protection, it has been revealed.

According to research from insurance provider, AXA, just under a half of the women who are working in the UK have not taken out any kind of financial protection.

AXA found that life insurance, critical illness insurance and income protection insurance are the major insurances which have not been invested in from as many as eight million women in the UK.

There is a growing number of women providing the main support of income for their families in the UK and it is expected that by 2030, it will rise to a quarter of the women in the UK. By 2018, the number of women of working age may also overtake the number of men.

One in nine women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. With breast cancer being one of the chief threats, without such financial protection, families could face serious financial problems.

Head of protection, Iain Mallon, of AXA said: "The ‘noughties’ is an era in which women have greater control than ever before over their lives and their finances but they are still failing to recognise their own financial and lifestyle developments in their protection cover. Unlike during the 1970’s, women becoming ill and unable to work now could have significant financial implications for the whole family."