Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

What is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?

If you have a certain level of disability because of an accident at work or through work activity, you may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. There are two types of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit relating to:

diseases (caused through work activity)
accidents

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

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit – ‘diseases’

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

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)
and many more

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit – accidents

You may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you are 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 (CAN)
Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) give YHN tenants benefits and debt advice.
Newcastle Welfare Rights Service have self help material on their website
Disability North give disability related benefit advice, help with appeals and representation at tribunals
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

Other Useful Information

Money Advice Service provides online information on the full range of benefits that you may be entitled to. This also includes where to find more help and advice.

Payment Exception Service was introduced as cheques are no longer used to pay state benefits and Pension credit. Information Now has more details on the service available to those unable to use bank accounts.

Last updated: May 19, 2022