If you are an employee, you could get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you have been off work for more than 3 days in a row. This can be paid for up to 28 weeks.
If your SSP has ended, you are self-employed or you don't have an employer, you may be able to get new style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and/or Universal Credit
You could get Carer's Allowance if you are looking after someone who gets either:
- the middle or highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance
- the daily living component of Personal Independent Payment
- any rate of Attendance Allowance
Sometimes claiming Carer's Allowance can impact on the disabled person's benefits. Seek advice before claiming.
Contact Macmillan Welfare Rights Service to find out about benefits for people with a cancer diagnosis
Special rules may apply if you have a terminal illness meaning that payments are made faster and at the highest rate.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults is ending and is being replaced with Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
If you are still receiving DLA and were born after 8 April 1948 you will be sent a letter before the end of 2020 from the Department for Work and Pensions advising that your DLA award will be ending and you will be asked if you would like to apply for PIP.
People with lifetime or indefinite awards of DLA will also be asked to move over to PIP.
If you do not respond within the timescale detailed in your letter, your DLA payments will stop. This could also effect your other entitlements, such as eligibility to the Motability Scheme, so it is important that you take action when you receive your letter.
There are no changes to DLA for children or Attendance Allowance.
If you require advice or assistance about moving from DLA to PIP, or need help to dispute a decision, then please contact our Welfare Rights Service or your local CAB office.
This video gives an overview of the changes.
DLA for children helps with the additional costs of looking after a child under 16 who needs extra personal care, supervision or watching over because of a disability, or because they have a walking difficulty.
Payments can be awarded for a care component or a mobility component, or both components at the same time. There are different levels of payment and the amount awarded will depend on their condition.
For more information about DLA for Children, including eligibility, rates and how to claim, visit GOV.UK.
If you require local advice or support with making a Child DLA application, or are having trouble completing a new claim or renewal form then please contact our welfare rights service .
DLA is ignored as income for means-tested benefits and tax credits. If your child is awarded DLA, check to see if you become eligible for universal credit, child tax credits or housing benefit, or even a higher amount to your current award. Our welfare rights service can carry out a benefit entitlement check if you are unsure.
If you have received a decision notice about a Child DLA award and are unhappy with the outcome, then you can ask the DLA office to carry out a mandatory reconsideration. If you require local advice and support with a Child DLA dispute then please contact our welfare rights service.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non means tested benefit for people aged 16 to 64 who need help to take part in everyday life and/or find it difficult to get around.
It is made up of two components:
- daily living
- mobility
Each component is paid at two rates ‒ standard and enhanced. The amount you receive depends on how your condition affects you.
Making a claim
For helpful advice on the PIP assessment process and what the PIP descriptors are, visit the C-App website.
For details on how to order a claim form visit GOV.UK
Once you have your claim form you can get useful tips on how to complete it from this webpage.
After you get your decision
If you receive an award then this could lead onto other entitlements, such as additional premiums on other benefits you may have. Contact welfare rights if you would like more information, they can carry out an entitlement check for you.
If you disagree with a PIP decision then you can dispute this by asking for a mandatory reconsideration. Advice Now have a self help tool which generates a letter that you can send to the PIP office to lodge the reconsideration. If you still disagree with the reconsidered decision you have the right to appeal the decision.
Local support
If you require local assistance with a PIP application or would like to discuss a recent decision then please contact our welfare rights service.
Attendance Allowance is a non means-tested benefit for people aged 65 or over. It provides financial help with the extra costs of a long-term illness, health condition or disability which can either be a physical and/or a mental health condition.
Attendance Allowance can be paid if you reasonably need help with your personal care or need to be supervised. It can also be paid if you have a terminal illness.
It can be paid at two rates. The amount you receive depends on how your condition affects you.
Making a claim
For details on how to claim visit GOV.UK
Read advice on how to complete your claim form on the Carers UK website.
After you get your decision
If you receive an award this could lead to other entitlements, such as additional premiums on other benefits you may have, such as Housing Benefit or Pension Credit.
Contact welfare rights if you need help to find out what benefits you are entitled to. Or use an online benefits calculator.
If you disagree with an Attendance Allowance decision then you can dispute this by asking for a mandatory reconsideration. If you still disagree with the reconsidered decision you have the right to appeal.
Local support
If you need help with an Attendance Allowance application, want to discuss a recent decision, or would like a benefit entitlement check then contact welfare rights.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is for people who are disabled by, or become ill due to, an accident or disease at work or on an approved course or training scheme. The scheme covers over 70 diseases.
Making a claim
You must meet the Eligibility criteria to make a claim.
You cannot claim IIDB if you were self-employed at the time the accident or disease happened. For more information visit Gov.UK.
Most claimants who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to a medical assessment.
You must be assessed as at least 14% disabled before you receive a payment.
How much you receive
The amount you receive depends on the assessed level of disablement.
IIDB is a means-tested benefit, so it will impact on other entitlements such as:
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- tax credits
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
After you get your decision
If you receive an award then this could lead to other entitlements, such as Constant Attendance Allowance.
An IIDB award could also protect your household from the benefit cap.
If you disagree with an IIDB decision you can request a Mandatory Reconsideration. Following this you have the right to appeal the decision.
Local support
Contact welfare rights if you need help with an IIDB application or would like to discuss a recent decision.