UK Benefit Guide
Home | UK Benefit Guide |Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is for people who are disabled by a disease or deafness caused by a job they have done. You may also be able to get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you are disabled as a result of an accident at work.
You may be entitled to it if, because of a job you have done, are you suffering from:
* Asthma
* Chronic bronchitis
* Deafness
* Pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestosis)
* Tenosynovitis
* Vibration white finger
* Another illness that may be covered by the Industrial Injuries Scheme
If YES to any one, claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
You cannot get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you were self-employed in the work that caused your disability.
The amount you can get depends on how serious your disability is.
If you are claiming because of a disease which is not mentioned on this page, check to see if it is covered by the Industrial Injuries Scheme.
If you get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, need daily care and attention and your disablement is assessed as 100 per cent, you may get Constant Attendance Allowance (CAA). This is paid at four different rates.
Constant Attendance Allowance
Exceptional rate = £132.80
Intermediate rate = £99.60
Normal maximum rate = £66.40
Part-time rate = £33.20
If you get Exceptional or Intermediate rate CAA and you need permanent constant care and attention, you may also get Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance.
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.
You may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give advice about:
whether you have asthma
how serious your disability is
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. You 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.
They 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 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.
You may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give advice about:
whether you have pneumoconiosis
how serious your disability is
how long they expect your disability to last.
You may also need to have a chest x-ray.
Tenosynovitis
You must have worked in a job involving manual labour or frequent and repeated movement of the hand or wrist.
You may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give advice about:
whether you have tenosynovitis
how serious your disability is
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.
You may need you to have a medical examination. The doctor will give advice about:
whether you have vibration white finger
how serious your disability is
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 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
* Diseases caused by exposure to asbestos, for example pneumoconiosis (asbestosis), diffuse mesothelioma, diffuse pleural thickening and lung cancer
* Dermatitis.
If you want to know whether a disease is covered by the scheme, Seek Advice.
You will get:
(Only use the amounts shown as a guide)
Weekly amounts:
Disablement Allowance
Disablement aged over 18.
100% = £166
90% = £149.40
80% = £132.80
70% = £116.20
60% = £99.60
50% = £83
40% = £66.40
30% = £49.80
20% = £33.20
Pensions for pneumoconiosis, byssinosis, and mesothelioma assessment:
1% to 10% = £22.20
11% to 19% = £33.20
Industrial Death Benefit
This may be paid to the wife or husband of someone who died before 11 April 1988 due to an industrial disease. If you think you may qualify, ask your social security office for details.