Miners and banks, for example, can both be cyclical – meaning their performance and dividend payments are ultimately dependent on the state of the economy in the longer term. Banks also perform better when interest rates are rising, and could struggle as central banks focus on loosening policy once again.

Nonetheless, there are also plenty of companies that have continuously raised their dividends over long time periods. AJ Bell found that 27 firms from the FTSE 100 had an unbroken record of dividend growth from 2009 to 2018. SSE and Standard Life Aberdeen are set to leave this list next year, but new names, such as Land Securities and Schroders, will enter in their place.

From gradually rising yields to high headline payout levels, a good level of income is still available to UK investors. But with plenty of unknowns around the UK economy and future dividend policies, this is a good time to be selective.