Incapacity Benefit

If you have been paying National Insurance contributions, see National Insurance Contributions, but are unable to work for at least four consecutive days due to illness or disability, you can claim Incapacity Benefit. This is a benefit paid to those under State Pension Age who are unable to work and are not receiving Statutory Sick Pay. You can also qualify for Incapacity Benefit if you are a young person, when:

• You are aged between sixteen and twenty, OR
• You are aged between sixteen and twenty-five and were in further education for at least three months before turning twenty
• AND you have been consistently incapable of working for at least twenty-eight weeks
• AND these twenty-eight weeks began before you turned twenty, OR before you turned twenty-five if you were in further education for at least three months before turning twenty

Incapacity Benefit is intended to help you cover your expenses when you are unable to work due to illness or disability. There are three different rates of Incapacity Benefit:

• Short-term Incapacity Benefit, low-rate. Paid if you have been sick for at least four consecutive days and are not receiving Sick Pay. Also paid to young people if they have been sick for at least twenty-eight weeks. Currently £59.20 a week.
• Short-term Incapacity Benefit, high-rate. Paid if you have been sick for between twenty-eight and fifty-two weeks. Also paid to young people who have been receiving low-rate short-term Incapacity Benefit for at least twenty-eight weeks. Currently £70.05 a week.
• Long-term Incapacity Benefit. Paid if you have been sick for longer than fifty-two weeks. Also paid to young people who have been receiving Incapacity Benefit for at least fifty-two weeks. Currently £78.50 a week.

There are special rules for the terminally ill, and for people with children to support. If you became sick before State Pension Age but have since reached it, you may be able to continue receiving Incapacity Benefit for up to one year after reaching State Pension Age. If so, you will be entitled to Incapacity Benefit of:

• Short-term Incapacity Benefit, low-rate, at £75.35
• Short-term Incapacity Benefit, high-rate, at £78.50

If you were younger than forty-five years old when you became unable to work and you are eligible for long-term Incapacity Benefit, you may be entitled to an extra Incapacity Age Addition benefit. This Age Addition benefit is also paid at two rates; low-rate Age Addition is currently £8.25 a week, whilst high-rate Age Addition is currently £16.50. The rate you receive will depend on your circumstances and your age when you became unable to work.

If you think you might be eligible to receive Incapacity Benefit, you should claim at your local Jobcentre Plus, or contact the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00 for assistance. It is important that you inform the benefits service as soon as possible if your circumstances change. Incapacity Benefit may, for example, be adjusted to account for part-time or voluntary work, or time spent in hospital. Informing the benefits service will enable them to ensure that you are always receiving the benefits to which you are entitled.