Incapacity Benefit

If you can't work because of illness or disability you may be able to get Incapacity Benefit (IB), a weekly payment for people under State Pension age - currently 60 for women and 65 for men.

Changes to benefits if you are ill or disabled
For new claims made from October 2008 onward, Employment and Support Allowance replaced:

• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support paid because of an illness or disability
• Severe Disablement Allowance

If you still receive Incapacity Benefit or Income Support paid because of an illness or disability, your claim will be reviewed by Jobcentre Plus between October 2010 and 2014.

Who is eligible?
You may be able to claim Incapacity Benefit if any of the following apply to you:

• your Statutory Sick Pay has ended, or you can't get it
• you are self employed or unemployed
• you have been getting Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and have not gone back to work for your employer because you are incapable of work
• you were under State Pension age when you became sick

You must also have been:

• paying National Insurance Contributions
• unable to work due to sickness or disability for at least four days in a row (including weekends and public holidays)
• getting special medical treatment and unable to work for two or more days out of seven consecutive days
• or you must:
• be aged between 16 and 20 (or under 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20), and
• have been too ill to work because of sickness or disability for at least 28 weeks, and
• have been too ill to work before you turned 20 (or 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20)

If you've been living or working abroad
Living or working abroad can affect your Incapacity Benefit claim. But you may be able to claim if you've either:

• paid enough UK National Insurance Contributions (NICs) in the relevant income tax years (and the equivalent in certain other countries - ask your local Jobcentre Plus office for details)
• worked abroad for an employer based in the UK and paid NICs for the first 52 weeks of that employment

If you haven't paid enough National Insurance contributions
You may be able to claim Incapacity Benefit even if you haven't paid enough National Insurance contributions if the following apply:

• you're aged under 20 (or 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20)
• you've been sick for 28 weeks
• you're present and resident in Great Britain for 26 weeks in the year before you claim
• If you're in the Armed Forces or you live and work within the European Economic Area (EEA), you may still be treated as being resident in the UK.

How it works
Incapacity Benefit is paid at three weekly rates:

• short-term (lower) IB is paid for the first 28 weeks
• short-term (higher) IB is paid from weeks 29 to 52
• long-term IB is paid from week 53

How much do you get?
Current weekly rate amounts:
short-term (lower rate) £68.95   if you're over State Pension age £87.75
short-term (higher rate) £81.60   if you're over State Pension age £91.40
long-term basic rate  £91.40 

You may be able to get extra benefit - an 'age addition' - with your long-term Incapacity Benefit if you were under 45 when you became too ill or disabled to work.
You may be able to get extra benefit for your partner, civil partner or the person who looks after your children.

How it's paid
Incapacity Benefit is paid into your bank, building society, Post Office® or National Savings account that accepts Direct Payment.
If you're registered blind or need someone who cares for you to collect your money, your payment can be sent by cheque and cashed at the Post Office®.
From April 2009 Jobcentre Plus are introducing changes to the day and how often you are paid Incapacity Benefit. The changes could move the day you are paid, this day will be determined by your National Insurance number. The changes also mean you will be paid at least every two weeks. For more information follow the link at the bottom of the page.

Personal Capability Assessment and medical examination
When you make a claim for Incapacity Benefit you'll usually have a Personal Capability Assessment.
As part of this, a doctor may recommend that you attend a medical examination.

Working while claiming Incapacity Benefit - 'Permitted Work'
If you're getting Incapacity Benefit you may be able to do some types of work - within limits. This is called 'Permitted Work'. But if you get Incapacity Benefit and a wage, this could affect income-related benefits you receive, like Income Support, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.

What to do if your circumstances change
It's important you contact your local Jobcentre Plus office if your circumstances change - for example if:

• you start work
• you enter or leave hospital
• your partner or civil partner goes into hospital (if you get extra money for them)
• you go abroad temporarily or permanently (you may be entitled to some form of incapacity benefit overseas)

For more information, you can contact your local Jobcentre Plus office.

How to appeal
If you're refused Incapacity Benefit or have questions about your payment, you can ask the office that dealt with your claim to look again at their decision.
If you're still unhappy with the outcome, you can appeal.

For further information click here to visit the Direct Gov website