Financial support if you have a disability or health condition

There are many circumstances in which you might want or need financial and practical support.

This section tells you what support is available.

If you've become ill while you are working, you may be entitled to the following.

Statutory Sick Pay

If you were earning enough to pay National Insurance contributions, your employer may be able to pay you Statutory Sick Pay. You should check with your employer before you apply for other benefits.

Incapacity Benefit

You may be entitled to Incapacity Benefit if you're ill, cannot work, and:

• your employer cannot pay you Statutory Sick Pay, or they stop paying you, or
• you're self-employed.

The Personal Capability Assessment

The Personal Capability Assessment is the main medical test if you are claiming incapacity benefits. It is used to determine whether you are entitled to benefit. The Personal Capability Assessment is also being tested alongside personal adviser services in a number of areas.

The assessment focuses on what you can do despite your illness or disability. Sometimes the approved healthcare professional may produce a separate Capability Report which will contain information about your capabilities and help you may need to return to work. The Capability Report will be sent to your personal adviser who will use it to help you plan to return to work. The Capability Report will not be seen by the benefit decision maker and will not be used in determining the claim to benefit. You will be advised if a Capability Report is to be prepared in your case.

The Personal Capability Assessment applies to Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, National Insurance credits for incapacity and in deciding whether the disability premium is awarded on grounds of incapacity in Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

You can find out more information in the leaflet The Personal Capability Assessment.

 A Guide to Incapacity Benefit - The Personal Capability Assessment (124.45kb)

Income Support

If you cannot get Incapacity Benefit or it is not enough to live on, you might be able to get Income Support.

If you've become ill or disabled because of work, you may be entitled to the following:

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

You may be able to get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you are disabled as a result of an accident at work, or if you have a disease or are deaf as a result of your work.

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If you are disabled and working, but your earnings are low, you may be entitled to the following:

Working Tax Credit

If you are aged 16 or over, disabled, and working 16 hours a week or more, you may be able to get Working Tax Credit, which is paid to top up your earnings.

Disability Living Allowance (or Attendance Allowance)

If you have a disability and are under age 65, you might be able to get help through Disability Living Allowance.

If you are aged 60 or over and do not have enough to live on, you may be entitled to the following.

Pension Credit

If you or your partner - are aged 60 or over and living in Great Britain, you may be entitled to Pension Credit.