Claiming health benefits

If you're sick or disabled, and it's affecting your ability to work, you may be entitled to financial assistance. Here's what's on offer, and how you can make that claim.

Who benefits?

A huge range of different health-related tax credits and benefits are available, which can be bewildering at first. To qualify, much depends on your situation and individual needs. However, it can be boiled down to three basic scenarios:

• If you have difficulty moving around, or need special care for day-to-day living;
• If you're unable to work at all;
• If you've been injured at work, or have an illness related to your work.

What can I claim?

Here's our at-a-glance guide to the main benefits:

Working Tax Credit

Who qualifies: A range of different credits are available to help people on low incomes, or who work at least 16 hours a week. It also caters for people with disability, offering a maximum of £2,405 per year (2008-9).
What's involved? Much depends on your income, and may affect other benefits you claim, such as Housing Benefit.
Find out more: HM Revenue & Customs

Statutory Sick Pay

Who qualifies? If you cannot do your job because you're permanently or temporarily sick or disabled, you may qualify for Statutory Sick Pay.
What's involved? £75.40 usually paid for first 28 weeks of sickness (2008-9). Just be aware that you will not receive Statutory Sick Pay for the first three days that you are off work.
Find out more: Department for Work and Pensions

Incapacity Benefit

Who qualifies? If you do not qualify for Statutory Sick Pay because you're permanently or temporarily sick or disabled. For example, you may be out of work and become ill.
What's involved? Incapacity benefit can be paid at three different rates:

• Short-term lower rate: £63.75 (paid if you do not qualify for Statutory Sick Pay, and have been unfit for work for four days in a row;
• Short-term higher rate: £75.40 (paid if you have been unfit for work for more than 28 weeks (but less than a year);
• Long-term basic rate: £84.50 (paid if you have been unfit for work for over a year).

These rates are just a guide, however, as individual circumstances could affect how much you will receive.
Find out more: JobCentre Plus

Income Support

Who qualifies? Anyone who works less than 16 hours a week (due to ill health, for example).
What's involved?  Much like Working Tax Credit, Income Support is designed to supplement your income rather than replace it. In some cases, for example if you're only able to work an hour or so per week, you may be able to claim Income Support as well as Statutory Sick Pay or Incapacity Benefit.
Find out more: JobCentre Plus

Disability Living Allowance

Who qualifies? Anyone under 65 who needs financial help to pay for personal care and the cost of getting around.
What's involved?  Disability Living Allowance is paid at three different rates, depending on your circumstances. The rates are £17.75, £44.85, and £67 (2008-9). It doesn't count as income, which means you are still entitled to other income-related benefits.
Find out more: Directgov

Disablement Benefit

Who qualifies? This is the main benefit to claim if you've suffered an industrial injury. There are many payment rates, depending on your circumstances, up to a maximum of £131.70 (18 or over) or £80.70 (If you're under 18).
How does it work? There are other industrial allowances that you may qualify for at the same time, such as Reduced Earnings Allowance, Retirement Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance.  
Find out more: Directgov

Do I qualify?

If you think you may be entitled to a health benefit, The Department for Work and Pensions run a telephone helpline providing information on benefits for the sick and disabled. The Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 (0800 220674 in Northern Ireland) or Minicom 0800 243355 also provides help in filling out claim forms.

A call to the helpline will help pinpoint what's on offer, and whether it's worthwhile making an application. If it is, you can apply using the Department of Work and Pension's Services and Benefits Online website.