Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

What is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?

If you’re ill or disabled because of an accident at work or through work related activity, you may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. There are two types of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit relating to:

• diseases (there are 70 diseases including asthma, COPD, asbestos related)
• accidents

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit – diseases or deafness

You can claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you were employed in a job that caused your illness. The scheme covers more than 70 diseases, including:

• a disease caused by working with asbestos
• asthma
• chronic bronchitis or emphysema
• deafness
• pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestosis)
• osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners
• prescribed disease A11 (previously known as vibration white finger)

You can’t claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you were self-employed in work that caused your injury.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit – accidents

You may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you’re ill or disabled because of an accident or event that happened at work.

How can I claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?

For further information, including how to claim, visit www.gov.uk.

Where can I get benefits advice?

You can get benefits advice from a local independent service. They can help guide you through the application process and explain how some benefits may impact upon another:

• Citizens Advice Newcastle give advice to anyone in Newcastle
• Newcastle Welfare Rights Service give advice to people in priority groups including those over 65. They have self help material on their website.
• Disability North give disability related benefit advice, help with appeals and representation at tribunals
• Search Newcastle give benefits advice to older people in the West of Newcastle
• Find more about benefit advice services available across Newcastle.

TUC Asbestos Support and Campaign Group give free confidential information, advice and support to anyone with an asbestos related or industrial disease in the North East. They help people with industrial diseases with:

• Welfare benefits and support: applying for benefits, appealing against benefit decisions, health costs such as prescriptions and travel to hospital, applying for local authority financial support and charitable grants, requesting a blue disabled parking badge
• independent legal advice and representation

Last updated: August 30, 2019