Where can I buy standalone critical illness cover (i.e. not life insurance)?

[lakebloom]

DH and I both have death in service benefit so we don’t need to pay £40/month on life insurance.

I want to buy standalone critical illness cover but I can only find it as a bolt on to life insurance.

can it be bought separately?

I'd look at Permanent Heath Insurance rather than critical illness. It covers any illness that prevents you working, not just a defined list. You will need to find an insurance broker - my mortgage broker also does insurance, many do.

We had critical illness cover from Barclays. Don’t have it anymore but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t linked to a mortgage or any other cover.

DH got his years ago from LV.

I've got critical illness with Legal & General. Our life cover policy is separate again.

Another one saying go for Permanent Health Insurance.
Ours are with Phoenix (who paid out with no issues at all after DH was medically retired after a brain haemhorrage). I think you can compare policies on Compare the Market etc.