The FTSE 100‘s significantly more popular with income investors than the more growth-focused FTSE 250.
The UK’s blue-chip index is viewed as a dividend haven for various reasons. It’s filled with companies that have market-leading positions, diversified revenues streams, and strong balance sheets with robust cash flows. This allows them to provide a solid and reliable dividend over time.
However, share pickers can also find plenty of FTSE 250 stocks that share these same qualities. It means individuals that focus just on the FTSE 100 for a passive income could be missing out.
Here are three dividend heroes I’d buy if I had a lump sum to invest. A £15,000 investment now could provide a £1,140 second income next year alone, based on current dividend forecasts.
Primary Health Properties
2025 dividend yield: 7.4%
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are among the most reliable of dividend shares. They tend to enjoy predictable rental incomes safeguarded by long tenancy contracts.
And what’s more, they have to distribute a minimum of 90% of annual rental profits in the form of dividends.
Healthcare specialists like Primary Health Properties offer an even greater level of security to dividend investors. They operate in a highly defensive industry. On top of this, the rents they enjoy are also effectively guaranteed by government bodies like the NHS.
I’ve bought the stock for my own portfolio, even though earnings will suffer if interest rates fail to drop.
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Greencoat UK Wind
2025 dividend yield: 7.5%
Renewable energy stocks like Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW) also have excellent defensive qualities that make them reliable dividend payers.
Their power generation tends to be more unpredictable compared with companies that use other sources. When the wind doesn’t blow, electricity generation can indeed slump sharply, giving the likes of Greencoat UK less to sell to energy suppliers.
But businesses like this one still offer greater earnings stability than most other shares. Electricity’s one of the world’s essential commodities and so demand remains constant at all points of the economic cycle.
And with a wide geographic footprint spanning all four home nations, Greencoat UK has lessened the risk of unfavourable local weather conditions on group earnings.
The Renewables Infrastructure Group
2025 dividend yield: 7.8%
The Renewables Infrastructure Group (LSE:TRIG), as its name suggests, is another high-yielding green energy stock I’d buy right now.
In fact, like Primary Health Properties, it’s a share I already own for passive income. I like it because its diversified operations provide profits (and thus dividends) with even greater stability over time.
The company owns wind, solar and battery storage assets, diversification which reduces its reliance on any one technology. For instance, it can continue to generate power during stormy conditions when the sun goes in and the wind’s up.
In addition, its portfolio of assets are also spread across an extremely wide area. As well as Britain, its territories include Germany, Spain, France and Sweden.
Like Greencoat UK, profits at Renewables infrastructure could be negatively impacted by changes to green policies and government incentives. But on balance, I believe it’s a great dividend stock to consider right now.
