Disability benefits

"I am 51 and have recently taken a lot of time off work because of my arthritis. I am thinking about my future. What benefits are available to me?"

The Disability Rights Commission says you are disabled if you have a mental or physical impairment. This should also have an adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities; the adverse effect should be substantial and long-term. The benefits that someone with a disability may consider claiming are outlined below.

• Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• What if my disability is causing additional difficulties in finding or keeping a job?
• Help from the Social Fund
• Cold Weather Payments
• Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
• Health costs

Available from the Disability and Carers Unit

Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance

Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance are both available to help you with the extra costs associated with disability or illness:

• whether or not you are still working
• whether you are living alone or with others, or
• whether you have a carer or not.

Which benefit you claim depends on your age:

• if you are under 65 and need help with personal care or if you have difficulty getting around, you can claim Disability Living Allowance
• if you are 65 or more and you need help with personal care, you can claim Attendance Allowance.

These allowances are not means tested. They are also tax-free and do not affect claims for other entitlements such as Income Support or Incapacity Benefit.

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Available from your Jobcentre Plus

Incapacity Benefit

Incapacity Benefit is paid to a person who:

• is aged below 60 for a woman, 65 for a man, and
• is incapable of work because of sickness or disability; and
• is not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay and
• has paid sufficient National Insurance contributions.

However, a person whose incapacity for work began before the age of 20 (in some cases 25) may not have to meet the contribution conditions. The contribution conditions for Incapacity Benefit are complicated.

There are three types of Incapacity Benefit:

• lower rate short-term
• higher rate short-term
• long-term.

For the first 196 days you will usually have to show that you are incapable of work by sending in medical certificates. After 196 days most people will have to have a medical examination to decide if they pass the Personal Capability Assessment. Some people with particular conditions or severe disabilities do not have to pass this assessment.

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Income Support

You may be able to get either Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance if:

• you are on a low income
• your savings are below a set limit
• you are working less than 16 hours a week
• your are not working.

If you can look for work, you should usually claim Jobseeker’s Allowance. If you are a lone parent with dependent children, are sick or disabled or you are caring for a disabled person, you may be entitled to Income Support. If you are over 60 you may be entitled to Pension Credit.

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Jobseeker's Allowance

You may be able to get income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, as long as you are available for and actively seeking work, if:

• you are not working
• you are working less than 16 hours a week
• you are not entitled to Income Support.

If your income is not low enough, or your savings are too high, but you have been paying National Insurance contributions in the last two years and are now looking for work, you may also be entitled to contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance for a limited period.

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What if my disability is causing additional difficulties in finding or keeping a job?

Disability Employment Advisers can provide a range of support, advice and information including specialist support to:

• people who are recently disabled
• people whose disability or health condition has deteriorated and who need employment advice
• disabled people who are having difficulty in getting a job because of their disability
• people in employment who are concerned about losing their job because of a disability.

Access to Work Advisers have specialist knowledge of the Access to Work programme which provides support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work-related obstacles resulting from disability. They work closely with Disability Employment Advisers. Both types of adviser can be contacted at your Jobcentre.

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Help from the Social Fund

If you are on a low-income benefit, you may qualify for help with costs for your home, or for dealing with an emergency.

Cold Weather Payment

You may qualify for a Cold Weather Payment if:

• you or your partner are getting Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and
• you have a child under the age of five
• you are disabled or are aged 60 or over.

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Available from the Inland Revenue

Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit

You may be entitled to Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit if you or your partner work 16 hours or more a week

People with disabilities can receive extra working Tax Credit allowances. People reducing their working hours (and income) because of disability or long term illness might get help.

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Available from Haringey Council

Housing Benefit

If you are paying rent and have a low income whilst working you may qualify for Housing Benefit. Some families on low-income benefits qualify for up to 100% Housing Benefit.

Council Tax Benefit

If you are paying Council Tax and have a low income whilst working you may also qualify for Council Tax Benefit. Some families on low-income benefits qualify for up to 100% Council Tax Benefit.

For information about Housing and Council Tax Benefits, write to:

Haringey Council
PO Box 10505
Wood Green
N22 7WJ
Tel 020 8489 2800

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The National Health Service provides help with Health Costs and visits to hospital

If your income is low you may be entitled to help with health costs and visits to hospital.

Useful External Links

Ev lînkên li jêr parçeke cîtewna Belediya Haringeyê nînin.

Ji kerema xwe daxûyaniya me ya legal bixwînin beriya ku hun van lînkan bi kar tînin.

• Disability and Carers Unit
• JobCentre Plus website
• Inland Revenue - Tax Credits
• National Health Service - health costs
• Disability Benefits Information: www.direct.gov.uk/disability

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