Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (diseases and deafness)

Last updated April 2006

This benefit is dealt with by Jobcentre Plus.

• For people who are ill or disabled as a result of a disease or deafness caused by work
• You must have done certain types of work
• Not paid if you were self-employed in the work that caused your disease or deafness
• The amount you can get depends on how serious your disability is
• You may also be able to get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you are disabled as a result of an accident at work
• Sufferers of certain diseases may also be able to get a payment under the Pneumoconiosis etc (Workers Compensation) Act 1979.

If you get Exceptional or Intermediate rate CAA and you need permanent constant care and attention, you may also get Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance.

If you have recently come from abroad there are some extra rules.

A disease because of working with asbestos

If you have one of the four following diseases because of working with asbestos:
- pneumoconiosis (asbestos)
- mesothelioma
- primary carcinoma of the lung where there is evidence of asbestosis or diffuse pleural thickening or both
- diffuse pleural thickening

You must have worked in a job which exposed you to asbestos. The level of exposure must be above the level normally found in the air.

We may need to contact your employer to check what jobs you have worked in.

We will need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give us advice about:
- whether you have one of the four diseases
- how seriously you are disabled
- how long they expect your disablement to last.

Asthma
At some time in the 10 years before you claim, you must have been in contact at work with a substance that caused your asthma.

We may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give us advice about:

• whether you have asthma
• how seriously you are disabled
• how long they expect your disability to last.

Chronic Bronchitis or emphysema or both
You must have worked underground in a coal mine. The work must have lasted for 20 years or more, but can be for more than one employer.

The 20 years does not have to be one unbroken period and we may be able to ignore breaks in employment.

We will usually need you to take a breathing test to see if your disability is serious enough for you to get benefit. We may also need you to go for a medical examination.

Deafness because of work
You must have worked for at least 10 years in certain jobs known to cause deafness.

The work must have been within 5 years of the date you claim.

You may also be able to get benefit if you worked very close to someone who was doing a job known to cause deafness.

We will arrange for your hearing to be tested.

Your hearing loss must be at least 50 decibels in each ear because of damage to your inner ear. In at least one ear, this must be caused by noise at work.

After the hearing test the doctor will give us advice about:

• whether your deafness was caused by work
• how badly you are disabled because of your deafness.

Pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestosis)
You must have worked in certain jobs which exposed you to dust.

We may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give us advice about:

• whether you have pneumoconiosis
• how seriously you are disabled
• how long they expect your disability to last.

You may also need to have a chest x-ray.

If you claimed Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit because of pneumoconiosis and we have turned you down because we said you did not have the disease, ask us to look at your claim again. For more information check:

• your questions and answers
• leaflet 'Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - If you have pnuemonconiosis' 874k PDF .

Tenosynovitis
You must have worked in a job involving manual labour or frequent and repeated movement of the hand or wrist.

We may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give us advice about:

• whether you have tenosynovitis
• how long they expect your disability to last.

Vibration white finger
You must have worked in certain jobs known to cause vibration white finger.

Whether you can get benefit depends on how many of your fingers are affected and how seriously.

We may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give us advice about:

• whether you have vibration white finger
• how seriously you are disabled
• how long they expect your disability to last.

Other diseases
Some other diseases caused by work and covered by the Industrial Injuries scheme are:

• diseases caused by exposure to asbestos, for example pneumoconiosis (asbestosis), diffuse mesothelioma, diffuse pleural thickening and lung cancer. See also the Pneumoconiosis etc (Workers Compensation) Act 1979
• diseases caused by radiation
• diseases caused by exposure to certain dangerous chemicals
• diseases caused by exposure to certain biological agents such as animals, plants and other organisms
• carpal tunnel syndrome caused by hand-held powered tools with internal vibrating parts
• dermatitis.

If you want to know whether a disease is covered by the scheme, check with your social security office

You can download an Industrial Injuries Disease claim form in PDF format. This form does not apply in Northern Ireland.
You must contact your social security office to establish the date of claim. Your claim could be affected if you do not do so. Please choose a form from the options below.

You can download documents marked with a using Adobe Acrobat Reader, available free of charge.

• We recommend that you save this file to your computer hard disk, CD or a floppy disk before completing it.
• To save a copy of the file to disk right click with your mouse on the form link above and choose the 'Save Target As' option.
• You cannot save the form once you have opened it in an internet browser.

If you want to print out one of these forms to fill in with a pen.

Allergic rhinitis  (84k)
Constant Attendance Allowance (32k)
Chronic bronchitis or emphysema  (77k)
Occupational asthma  (94k)
Occupational deafness  (94k)
Pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestosis), byssinosis or an asbestos-related disease  (87k)
Prescribed industrial disease  (70k)
Reduced Earnings Allowance  (68k)

The form comes with notes that will help you fill in the form and tell you where to send the completed form.

If you are having technical difficulties:

• downloading the form
• navigating around the form
• moving from page to page, or
• printing a hard copy

Please contact the eService Helpdesk.

If your stay abroad is temporary, you can usually get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for the first 3 months. This can be longer in special circumstances. For more information, contact the Pensions and Overseas Directorate.

I am part of a service family living abroad or visiting?
The rules for going abroad are the same as for anyone else going abroad. See above.

I start voluntary work?
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is not usually affected by voluntary work.

I go into residential care or a nursing home?
Your Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit will not usually be affected if you go into a residential care or nursing home. Contact your social security office for advice.

The DB1 - A guide to the Industrial Injuries Scheme benefits (DB1 Dec 2005) provides a detailed explanation about benefits for people who are disabled as a result of injuries or diseases arising from work.

Reduced Earnings Allowance (REA)
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Housing Benefit
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