Healthy Start

Overview

If you’re pregnant or have a child under 4, the Healthy Start scheme can help you buy basic foods like milk or fruit.

If you live in Scotland you cannot get Healthy Start. You can apply for Best Start Foods instead.

If you qualify for the scheme you’ll be sent vouchers you can use in over 30,000 shops in the UK.

You can also get coupons to swap for:

pregnancy vitamins

breastfeeding vitamins

vitamins for children aged 6 months to 5 years old

What you'll get

If you qualify, you’ll get vouchers worth £4.25 each to spend on:

cow’s milk

fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables

infant formula milk

fresh, dried, and tinned pulses

You get 1 voucher a week if:

you’re pregnant

you have a child aged between 1 and 4

You get 2 vouchers a week if you have a child under 1.

You can also get free vitamin supplements.

Eligibility

You can get Healthy Start vouchers if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, apply for Best Start Foods instead.

You will qualify for the Healthy Start scheme if either:

you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant

you have at least 1 child under 4 years old

In addition, you must be receiving any of the following:

Child Tax Credit (but only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Income Support

income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Pension Credit

Universal Credit (but only if your family earns £408 or less per month from employment)

Working Tax Credit (but only if your family is receiving the 4 week ‘run-on’ payment)

You’ll also be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme if you’re pregnant and under 18, even if you do not receive any benefits.

Working Tax Credit run-on is the payment you receive for a further 4 weeks immediately after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

How to claim

Apply for Healthy Start vouchers.

You can also get an application form from your midwife or ‘health visitor’, or by phoning the Healthy Start helpline.


Guardian's Allowance

Overview

You could get Guardian’s Allowance if you’re bringing up a child whose parents have died. You may also be eligible if there’s one surviving parent.

The Guardian’s Allowance rate is £18 a week. You get it on top of Child Benefit and it’s tax-free.

You must tell the Guardian’s Allowance Unit about certain changes to your circumstances.

What you'll get

The Guardian Allowance rate is:

£18 a week per child

tax-free

paid on top of your Child Benefit payments

How the money is paid

Usually, the money is paid into a bank account every 4 weeks. It can be paid weekly if you’re a single parent or getting certain other benefits, such as Income Support.

You can get the money paid into any account, apart from a Nationwide Building Society account in someone else’s name.

Effect on other benefits

Guardian’s Allowance does not count as income if you’re claiming tax credits, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

Guardian’s Allowance is not affected by the High Income Child Benefit charge. If you decide not to be paid Child Benefit your Guardian’s Allowance can continue.

Guardian’s Allowance does not count towards the benefit cap.

Use a benefits calculator to work out what benefits you can get.

Eligibility

To get Guardian’s Allowance all of the following must apply:

you’re bringing up someone else’s child

the child’s parents are dead (see conditions for one surviving parent below)

you qualify for Child Benefit

one of the parents was born in the UK (or was living in the UK since the age of 16 for at least 52 weeks in any 2-year period)

If you adopt a child you may still get Guardian’s Allowance as long as you were getting it before you adopted the child.

If there is one surviving parent

You could get Guardian’s Allowance if one of the following is true:

you do not know where the surviving parent is

the parents were divorced or their civil partnership had dissolved, the surviving parent does not have custody and is not maintaining the child and there is not a court order in place saying they should

the parents were not married, the mother has died and the father is unknown

the surviving parent will be in prison for at least 2 years from the date of death of the other parent

the surviving parent is in a hospital by court order

Use a benefits calculator to check the benefits you’re entitled to.

How to claim

To avoid losing money, claim Guardian’s Allowance as soon as the child comes to live with you.

Fill in the claim form (BG1).

Send it to the Guardian’s Allowance Unit with the child’s full birth certificate and the parents’ death certificates (or certificate if one parent has died) - send originals.

You should also claim Child Benefit as soon as possible.

Guardian’s Allowance can be backdated for up to 3 months.

You can also call the Guardian’s Allowance Unit and ask for a claim pack.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Changes to your circumstances

If your circumstances change, your entitlement to Guardian’s Allowance could be affected or your payments could stop.

You must report changes straight away. You can do this online if:

the child goes to live with someone else

you go abroad, either temporarily (for more than 8 weeks), or permanently (for more than 1 year)

the child leaves full-time education or approved training

your bank or contact details change

you find out where the surviving parent is

the surviving parent comes out of hospital or prison (or has their sentence shortened)

the surviving parent makes a payment towards their child’s upkeep

You can also report a change of circumstance by phone or post.


Parents' Learning Allowance

Overview

You may be eligible for help with your learning costs if you’re a full-time student with children. This is called Parents’ Learning Allowance.

How much you get depends on your household income.

The allowance:

does not have to be paid back

will not affect your benefits or tax credit

What you'll get

Depending on your household income, in the 2021 to 2022 academic year you could get between £50 and £1,821 a year.

It’s usually paid in 3 instalments direct to your bank account, one at the start of each term.

Parents’ Learning Allowance is paid on top of your other student finance and does not have to be paid back.

2020 to 2021 academic year

Full-time students could get up to  £1,766 a year.

Eligibility

If you’re a student from England with dependent children you may qualify if you’re taking:

a full-time undergraduate course

an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course

You do not need to be paying for childcare to qualify.

How to apply

You can apply for the Parents’ Learning Allowance when you apply for student finance.

After you apply

After you apply you’ll get a letter telling you how much you can get.


Financial help if you're disabled

Overview

There is a wide range of disability-related financial support, including benefits, tax credits, payments, grants and concessions.

Some benefits you might get are:

Universal Credit

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Attendance Allowance

‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Depending on your circumstances, you might also be able to get:

Industrial Injuries Benefit if you’re disabled as a result of work

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Vehicles and transport

If you’re disabled you can apply for the following:

exemption from paying vehicle tax

parking benefits - Blue Badge

disabled persons bus pass or railcard

help to buy or lease a car from The Motability Scheme

Home and housing

If you’ve been assessed by your local council as needing care and support services, you can get:

Direct payments - allowing you to buy in and arrange help yourself instead of getting it directly from social services

Disabled Facilities Grants - which is money towards the costs of home adaptations to enable you to continue living there

If you’re on a low income

You may be eligible for Universal Credit and could get help with housing costs.

If not, check if you’re eligible for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction from your local council.

Help if you’re employed

You may be able to top up a low salary by claiming Universal Credit.

You also might be able to get an Access to Work grant to pay for:

special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings

help getting to and from work

mental health support

communication support at a job interview (for example, a British Sign Language interpreter or a lipspeaker)

VAT relief on certain goods and services

You do not have to pay VAT on certain goods and services if they’re just for your own use and you’re disabled or have a long term illness.

Armed forces compensation

You may be able to get compensation if you’ve been injured or disabled while serving in the armed forces.

Disability and sickness benefits

Disability Living Allowance for children

Disability Living Allowance for children (DLA) is a tax-free benefit for children under 16 to help with the extra costs caused by long-term ill health or a disability.

Disability Living Allowance for adults

Personal Independence Payment is gradually replacing DLA for adults with long-term ill health or a disability. If you’ve reached State Pension age you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead.

Personal Independence Payment

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a tax-free benefit for people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age. It can help with the extra costs caused by long term ill-health or a disability.

Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people who are State Pension age or over, have a disability and need someone to help look after them.

Employment and Support Allowance

You may be able to get ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you cannot work because of illness or disability.

Carers

Carer’s Allowance is extra money to help you look after someone with substantial caring needs.

You could also get Carer’s Credit so there will not be any gaps in your National Insurance record if you have to take on caring responsibilities.

Vehicles and transport

You’ll need to meet the legal obligations for drivers before you can drive.

Blue Badge parking scheme

The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or as passengers.

Vehicle tax exemption

Eligibility

You can apply for exemption from paying vehicle tax if you get the:

higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement

Armed Forces Independence Payment

The vehicle must be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name.

It must only be used for the disabled person’s personal needs. It cannot be used by the nominated driver for their own personal use.

You can only have one vehicle tax exemption at any one time.

How to claim

You claim the exemption when you apply for vehicle tax.

If you’re claiming for a vehicle for the first time, you have to claim at a Post Office. You must do this every time you change your vehicle.

Vehicle tax reduction

Eligibility

You can get a 50% reduction in vehicle tax if you get the PIP standard rate mobility component.

The vehicle should be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name.

You cannot get a reduction for getting the DLA lower rate mobility component.

How to claim

You must include the following with your application:

a letter or statement from the Department for Work and Pensions that shows your PIP rate and the dates you’re getting it

the vehicle log book (V5C)

a V10 form

an original MOT or GVT certificate (if your vehicle needs one)

a cheque or payable order (made out to ‘DVLA, Swansea’) for 50% of the full rate of car tax for the vehicle

an insurance certificate or cover note (if you live in Northern Ireland)

Do not send your PIP assessment or any other medical information with your application.

If you’ve just bought the vehicle and it’s not registered in your name yet, you’ll need to complete a V62 form and include the green ‘new keeper’ slip from the log book with your application.

Send the documents to:

If the vehicle is not registered to you or the nominated driver

When you make your application you will need to include a signed letter from the vehicle’s registered keeper. This needs to say:

how they know you

how the vehicle will be used, for example picking up your prescription or shopping

The Motability Scheme

The Motability Scheme can help you with leasing a car, powered wheelchair or scooter. You’ll need to be getting one of the following:

the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA

War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement

Armed Forces Independence Payment

the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP

VAT relief for vehicles

You may not have to pay VAT on having a vehicle adapted to suit your condition, or on the lease of a Motability vehicle - this is known as VAT relief.

Community and public transport

Your local council may operate dial-a-ride or taxi schemes, for example, using vouchers or tokens. You may also be eligible for a bus pass, a Disabled Persons Railcard or both.

Home and housing

Direct Payments - arranging your own care and services

If you’ve been assessed by your local council as needing care and support services, you may want to choose Direct Payments. They allow you to buy in and arrange help yourself instead of receiving it directly from your local council.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Disabled Facilities Grants are local council grants. It helps towards the cost of essential adaptations to your home to enable you to continue to live there.

Council Tax Disabled Band Reduction Scheme

You may be entitled to a reduction in your Council Tax bill if your home has certain features that are essential to you living there.

Contact your local council to apply for Council Tax Disabled Band Reduction.

If you’re on a low income

Universal Credit

If you’re eligible for Universal Credit you could get help paying for your housing.

Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. Most people will need to claim Universal Credit instead.

Check if you’re eligible for Housing Benefit before you apply.

You may also get a Council Tax Reduction from your local council.

On a low income

Universal Credit

You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or out of work.

Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit.

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

You may be able to claim ‘new style’ JSA.

You’ll need to have worked as an employee and paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years. National Insurance credits can also count.

You will not be eligible if you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions, unless you were working as a share fisherman or a volunteer development worker.

You’ll also need to take reasonable steps to look for work.

Check if you’re eligible for ‘new style’ JSA.

Blind Person’s Allowance

The Blind Person’s Allowance allows you to receive an amount of income without having to pay tax. It’s added to your personal tax allowance.

Television licence discount

You can get 50% off the cost of your TV licence if either:

you’re registered blind or severely sight impaired

you live with someone who is registered blind or severely sight impaired

If the person who is registered blind is not the current licence holder for your address, you’ll need to transfer the licence to their name.

You can either:

transfer the licence online - you’ll need your licence number

contact TV Licensing to transfer the licence

How to apply

To claim the TV licence concession for blind people, you’ll need to get a certificate from your local authority or ophthalmologist stating that you are registered blind or severely sight impaired.

In Northern Ireland, the certificate or document must be issued by or on behalf of a Health and Social Services Trust. On the Isle of Man, it must be issued by or on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Services.

Post a copy of the certificate along with your licence renewal notice - if you have one - and a cheque or postal order for the licence to:

Remember to include your name, address, phone number and TV licence number, if you have one.

VAT relief for disabled people

If you’re disabled or have a long-term illness, you will not be charged VAT on products designed or adapted for your own personal or domestic use. Also, you will not be charged VAT on:

the installation and any extra work needed as part of this

repairs or maintenance

spare parts or accessories

The product and your disability have to qualify.

Qualifying products or services

Your supplier can tell you, but usually products designed or adapted for a disability qualify. For example, certain types of:

adjustable beds

stair lifts

wheelchairs

medical appliances to help with severe injuries

alarms

braille paper or low vision aids - but not spectacles or contact lenses

motor vehicles - or the leasing of a motability vehicle

building work like ramps, widening doors, installing a lift or toilet

How to get the product VAT free

To get the product VAT free your disability has to qualify. For VAT purposes, you’re disabled or have a long-term illness if:

you have a physical or mental impairment that affects your ability to carry out everyday activities, for example blindness

you have a condition that’s treated as chronic sickness, like diabetes

you’re terminally ill

You do not qualify if you’re elderly but not disabled, or if you’re temporarily disabled.

You’ll need to confirm in writing that you meet these conditions. Your supplier may give you a form for this.

Help from your council

You can apply to your council for equipment or help to adapt your home if you have a disability.

Importing goods

You do not pay VAT if you import qualifying goods that are for your own personal or domestic use. This includes certain goods for blind and partially sighted people.

If you use a freight service they can help you with the paperwork, otherwise make sure the following is written on parcel, ‘Goods for disabled people: relief claimed’.

If you bring them in yourself, declare them in the red channel at Customs. For any other method of import, contact the National Import Reliefs Unit.

Work-related injuries or illness

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

You may be entitled to get Industrial Injuries Benefit if you’re disabled as a result of:

an accident at work

a disease

deafness caused by work

Constant Attendance Allowance

You can claim Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care and attention because of a disability and you claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

Armed forces compensation

You can claim for compensation if while serving in the armed forces:

you got an injury or illness

an existing condition you had was made worse

Constant Attendance Allowance

You can also apply for Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care for a disability.


Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Overview

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with some of the extra costs if you have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself. You’ll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get.

Your carer could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

If you get Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is being replaced by PIP for most adults. You’ll keep getting DLA if:

you’re under 16

you were born on or before 8 April 1948

If you were born after 8 April 1948, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will invite you to apply for PIP. You do not need to do anything until DWP writes to you about your DLA unless your circumstances change.

Help with PIP

You can contact a local support organisation or Citizens Advice to get help understanding PIP.

Eligibility

You can get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) whether you’re working or not.

You must be aged 16 or over and usually have not reached State Pension age to claim.

You must also have a physical or mental health condition or disability where you:

have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months

expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months

You usually need to have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years, and be in one of these countries when you apply. If you’ve recently returned from living in an EEA country, you might be able to get PIP sooner.

Find out about PIP if you live in Northern Ireland.

There are different rules if you’re terminally ill and a healthcare professional has said you might have less than 6 months to live.

You cannot get PIP and Armed Forces Independence Payment at the same time.

Daily living difficulties

You may get the daily living part of PIP if you need help more than half of the time with things like:

preparing or eating food

washing, bathing and using the toilet

dressing and undressing

reading and communicating

managing your medicines or treatments

making decisions about money

engaging with other people

Mobility difficulties

You may get the mobility part of PIP if you need help going out or moving around.

How you’re assessed

You’ll be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to work out the level of help you need.

If you’ve reached State Pension age

You can get PIP if you:

were already getting PIP before you reached State Pension age and your condition has not changed

have been claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and you’ve had a letter inviting you to apply for PIP

You may get PIP if you previously got it and you were still entitled to it within the last year.

If you cannot get PIP, you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead.

Living abroad

You might still be able to get PIP if you:

live in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland - you can only get help with daily living needs

are a member or family member of the Armed Forces

If you’re not a British citizen

You must:

normally live in or show that you intend to settle in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands

not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

You might still be able to get PIP if you are a refugee or have humanitarian protection status.

What you’ll get

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is made up of 2 parts - a daily living part and a mobility part. Whether you get one or both of these and how much you’ll get depends on how severely your condition affects you.

You’ll need an assessment to work out how much you’ll get. Your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you’re getting the right support.

PIP is tax free. The amount you get is not affected by your income or savings.

You need to tell DWP straight away if there’s a change in your personal circumstances or how your condition affects you.

Daily living part

The weekly rate for the daily living part of PIP is either £60.00 or £89.60.

Mobility part

The weekly rate for the mobility part of PIP is either £23.70 or £62.55.

Terminal illness

You’ll get the higher daily living part if you’re not expected to live more than 6 months. The rate of the mobility part depends on your needs.

How other benefits affect your PIP

The daily living part of your PIP will be reduced if you get any of the following benefits:

Constant Attendance Allowance

War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement

How you’re paid

PIP is usually paid every 4 weeks.

Your decision letter will tell you:

the date of your first payment

what day of the week you’ll usually be paid

If your payment date is on a bank holiday, you’ll usually be paid before the bank holiday. After that you’ll continue to get paid as normal.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Other help

You or your carer might also qualify for other financial help, for example Carer’s Allowance, or help with housing or transport costs.

If you get PIP and you work, you might also be able to get the disability element of Working Tax Credit (up to £3,220 a year, or up to £4,610 if your disability is severe). Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to find out.

How to claim

Call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make a new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim.

There is a different way to claim if you’re terminally ill.

Find out how to claim if you live in Northern Ireland.

Claim by telephone or textphone

Before you call, you’ll need:

your contact details, for example telephone number

your date of birth

your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits

your bank or building society account number and sort code

your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number

dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital

dates for any time you spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, and the countries you visited

If you need someone to help you, ask DWP to add them to your call when you:

phone

use Relay UK

use the video relay service

You cannot do this if you use textphone.

If you cannot use any of these, someone else can call on your behalf, but you’ll need to be with them when they call.

Claim by post

You can get a form to send information by post (although this can delay the decision on your claim). Write a letter to ask for the form.

What happens next

You’ll be sent a ‘How your disability affects you’ form. Call the PIP enquiry line if you need it in an alternative format such as braille, large print or audio CD.

Fill in the form using the notes that come with it to help you. You can also read Citizens Advice’s help on filling in the form.

Return the form to DWP - the address is on the form. You have 1 month to return the form. DWP will start processing your claim when they receive your form. Contact the PIP enquiry line if you need more time.

If more information is needed, an independent health professional will send a letter inviting you to an assessment. Assessments can be in person, over the phone or by video call. You’ll be asked questions about your ability to carry out activities and how your condition affects your daily life. You can read Citizens Advice’s help on preparing for an assessment.

You’ll get a letter that tells you whether you’ll get PIP. If you do, you’ll be told how much you’ll get, when you’ll be paid and the date your PIP will be reviewed so that you continue to get the right support.

Because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you’ll only be invited to attend an assessment in person if more information is needed and you cannot do an assessment by phone or video call. Your invitation letter will explain how to attend your appointment safely.

You cannot apply using any Disability Living Allowance (DLA) forms you may have.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

If your PIP claim is reviewed

The letter you got when your Personal Independence Payment (PIP) was approved will tell you when your claim will end and if it will be reviewed.

If your claim is going to be reviewed, the letter will tell you when you’ll be contacted about the review.

How PIP reviews work

You will continue to get PIP while your claim is being reviewed.

You’ll get a letter asking you to fill in a form called ‘Award review - how your disability affects you’.

Fill in the form using the notes that come with it.

Send the form and any supporting information you have not shared with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) before - the form explains what to include and where to send it. You’ll need to return it within 1 month. Contact the PIP enquiry line if you need more time.

DWP will review your form. If they need more information, an independent health professional might phone you to ask some questions or send a letter inviting you to an assessment. Assessments can be in person, over the phone or by video call.

You’ll get a letter that tells you what will happen with your PIP. If your needs have changed, your PIP might be increased, reduced or stopped.

Because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you’ll only be invited to an assessment in person if more information is needed and you cannot do an assessment by phone or video call. Your invitation letter will explain how to attend your appointment safely.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Change of circumstances

You must contact the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) enquiry line if:

your personal details change, for example your name, address or doctor

the help you need or your condition changes

your condition has worsened and you’re not expected to live more than 6 months

you go into hospital or a care home

you go abroad

you’re imprisoned or held in detention

your immigration status changes, if you’re not a British citizen

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

How to report a change of circumstances

Contact the PIP enquiry line to report a change of circumstances.

If you need someone to help you, ask the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to add them to your call when you:

phone

use Relay UK

use the video relay service

You cannot do this if you use textphone.

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

did not report a change straight away

gave wrong information

were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.

Claiming PIP if you're terminally ill

You can get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) more quickly if you’re terminally ill.

You can claim PIP if:

your doctor or a healthcare professional has said you might have less than 6 months to live

you are aged 16 or over and usually have not reached State Pension age

How to claim

You can claim for yourself or someone else can do it for you.

Call DWP to start your PIP claim. Ask a doctor or other healthcare professional for form DS1500. They’ll either fill it in and give the form to you or send it directly to DWP.

You will not need to go to a face-to-face consultation.

phone

use Relay UK

use the video relay service

You may be able to get other benefits if you’re terminally ill.


Attendance Allowance

Overview

Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

It’s paid at 2 different rates and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability.

You could get £60 or £89.60 a week to help with personal support if you’re both:

physically or mentally disabled

State Pension age or older

It does not cover mobility needs.

The other benefits you get can increase if you get Attendance Allowance.

You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.

If you do have a carer, they could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

What you'll get

Attendance Allowance is paid weekly at 2 different rates - the one you get depends on the level of help you need.

Attendance Allowance is not means-tested - what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.

Attendance Allowance rates

Rate | Level of help you need

Lower rate - £60 | Frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night

Higher rate - £89.60 | Help or supervision throughout both day and night, or you’re terminally ill

If your circumstances change, you could get a different rate. You must report a change of circumstances.

You could get extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get Attendance Allowance - check with the helpline or office dealing with your benefit.

How you’re paid

All benefits are paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Eligibility

You can get Attendance Allowance if you’ve reached State Pension age and the following apply:

you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or both

your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s safety

you have needed that help for at least 6 months (unless you’re terminally ill)

You must also:

be in Great Britain when you claim - there are some exceptions, such as members and family members of the armed forces

have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)

be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands

not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

If you live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You might still be able to get Attendance Allowance if you’re a UK national and you live in or move to the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Read guidance to find out if you can get benefits in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

If you’re terminally ill

If you’re not expected to live for more than 6 months, there are ‘special rules’:

there’s no qualifying period for how long you’ve had your illness

if you’re eligible, you’ll automatically get the higher rate of Attendance Allowance

If you’re in a care home

You cannot usually get Attendance Allowance if you live in a care home and your care is paid for by your local authority. You can still claim Attendance Allowance if you pay for all your care home costs yourself.

If you need an assessment

You’ll only need to attend an assessment to check your eligibility if it’s unclear how your illness or disability affects you.

If you do need an assessment you’ll get a letter saying why and where you must go. During the assessment, a healthcare professional will need to examine you.

You cannot get Attendance Allowance if you already get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

How to claim

Use the Attendance Allowance claim form to apply by post. The form comes with notes telling you how to fill it in.

Send the completed form to:

You do not need a postcode or a stamp.

Call the Attendance Allowance helpline to ask for:

a copy of the form

alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD

Backdating your claim

Attendance Allowance can be backdated to the date of your claim. This is usually the date your form is received or the date you call the enquiry line (if you then return the claim pack within 6 weeks).

If you’re terminally ill (‘special rules’)

There are ‘special rules’ so you get Attendance Allowance more quickly if you’re not expected to live more than 6 months. You must:

complete an Attendance Allowance form

ask a doctor or other healthcare professional for form DS1500 - they’ll either fill it in and give the form to you or send it directly to DWP

You can do this on behalf of someone else without their permission. The letter about the money awarded will not mention ‘special rules’.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Complaints

You can complain to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if you’re unhappy with the service you’ve received.

Report a change in circumstances

Your circumstances can affect how much Attendance Allowance you get.

You must contact the Attendance Allowance helpline straight away if:

the level of help you need or your condition changes

you go into hospital or a care home

you leave the country for more than 4 weeks

you go into prison

you change your name, address or bank details

you want to stop receiving your benefit

your doctor’s details change

your immigration status changes, if you’re not a British citizen

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

did not report a change straight away

gave wrong information

were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.


Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Overview

You might get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if you became ill or are disabled because of an accident or disease either:

at work

on an approved employment training scheme or course

The amount you may get depends on your individual circumstances.

Your carer could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

What you'll get

The level of your disability will affect the amount of benefit you may get. This will be assessed by a ‘medical advisor’ on a scale of 1 to 100%.

Normally you must be assessed as 14% disabled or more to get the benefit.

All amounts are a guide only.

Assessed level of disablement | Weekly amount

100% | £182.90

90% | £164.61

80% | £146.32

70% | £128.03

60% | £109.74

50% | £91.45

40% | £73.16

30% | £54.87

20% | £36.58

Eligibility

Accidents

You may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if:

you were employed when the accident or event happened

you were on an approved employment training scheme or course when the accident or event happened

the work accident or event that caused your illness or disability happened in England, Scotland or Wales

There are some exceptions you can ask your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Centre about.

Diseases

You can claim IIDB if you were employed in a job or were on an approved employment training scheme or course that caused your disease. The scheme covers more than 70 diseases, including:

asthma

chronic bronchitis or emphysema - also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

deafness

pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestosis)

osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners

prescribed disease A11 (previously known as vibration white finger)

Dupuytren’s contracture

The scheme also covers asbestos related diseases including:

pneumoconiosis (asbestosis)

diffuse mesothelioma

primary carcinoma of the lung with asbestosis

primary carcinoma of the lung without asbestosis but where there has been extensive occupational exposure to asbestos in specified occupations

unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening

You can get a full list of illnesses from your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit centre.

You cannot claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you were self-employed.

How to claim

You’ll need to fill in and post a claim form.

The form comes with notes that:

help you fill it in

tell you where to send it

Download and print a claim form

To claim for:

accidents caused by work, use form BI100A

diseases caused by work, use form BI100PD

Request a claim form by phone

You can also ask Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) Centre to send you a claim form.

Alternative formats

Call to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.

After you send your form

Your claim will be assessed using the information provided in your claim form, or at a face to face medical assessment.

The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) will contact you if you need a face to face medical assessment. They’ll send you information about what to expect at the appointment. Read the guidance on how to attend your face to face assessment safely because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

You will not need to attend a face to face assessment if you’re terminally ill or you have any of the following diseases:

diffuse mesothelioma

angiosarcoma of the liver due to exposure to vinyl chloride monomer

primary carcinoma of the bronchus or lung through exposure to arsenic

primary carcinoma of the bronchus or lung through exposure to Nickel/Nickel compounds

primary carcinoma of the lung where there is accompanying evidence of asbestosis

primary carcinoma of the lung, through exposure to asbestos

primary carcinoma of the lung, linked to tin and other specified chemicals or work with coke ovens

primary carcinoma of the lung where there is accompanying silicosis

The assessment of your claim may be delayed because of coronavirus. When your claim is considered, your IIDB payments will be backdated to the date DWP received your claim form.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

If your IIDB payments are reviewed

If your IIDB payments were due to be reviewed, they will automatically be extended for 6 months because of coronavirus (COVID-19). You will not have to pay back any IIDB you get.

DWP will write to you to tell you that your payments are being extended.

If you were given a ‘final award’ and your payments are for a limited time, they will not be extended. If the condition for which you’re getting IIDB has changed, you should report the change to DWP.

Illnesses that may still be reviewed

Your payments may still be reviewed if you are terminally ill or you have any of the following:

diffuse mesothelioma

DWP will write to you to tell you if your payments will be reviewed.

Report a change in circumstances

You, or the person who claims on your behalf, must tell the office that deals with your payments about any changes to your circumstances or personal details. Let them know straight away if:

the condition for which you’re getting benefit improves or gets worse

you change your name or gender

you get married or form a civil partnership

you change your address

you leave the country

you go into prison

your immigration status changes, if you’re not a British citizen

You must also report these if you receive Unemployability Supplement, which topped up Industrial Disablement Supplement until 1987.

There will be a delay in assessing your change of circumstances because of coronavirus (COVID-19). Any changes to your payments will be backdated to when you reported the change.

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Centres

Barrow IIDB Centre

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Bradford IIDB Centre

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

did not report a change straight away

gave wrong information

were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.

Further information

Other benefits you may be able to get

Constant Attendance Allowance (CAA)

You can claim CAA for accidents where your disability is assessed at 100% and you need daily care and attention.

The CAA rate you’re paid is based on an assessment of your needs.

Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance

You can claim £73.20 paid in addition to the CAA rates, if you’re assessed at one of the top 2 rates of CAA and need permanent, constant care and attention.

Reduced Earnings Allowance (REA)

You may get REA if:

you cannot do your usual job or other work with similar pay because of an accident or disease caused by work

you have a disability or injury which began before 1 October 1990

Pneumoconiosis Etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979

Jobcentre Plus may pay you a lump sum if you have one of the following diseases:

pneumoconiosis

byssinosis

diffuse mesothelioma

bilateral diffuse pleural thickening

primary carcinoma of the lung when accompanied by asbestosis or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening

To get a payment you must meet all the following conditions:

your dust-related disease must have been caused by your employment

you’re getting Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for one of the listed diseases

you must claim within 12 months of the decision awarding Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

you cannot or have not taken civil action because your former employer has stopped trading

you have not brought a court action or received compensation from an employer in respect of the disease

You may be able to make a claim if you’re the dependant of someone who suffered from a dust-related disease but who has died. A dependant claim must be made within 12 months of the death of the sufferer.

Diffuse mesothelioma payment

You may still be able to get a payment for an asbestos-related illness if you are not eligible for compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979.

You can claim for the ‘2008 scheme’ if you came into contact with asbestos:

while you were self employed

through a family member, for example by washing their clothes

There’s a different payment scheme if you were diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after 25 July 2012. You can apply for this even if you’ve claimed compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979.

Effects on other benefits

You can still get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if you’re claiming:

contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance

Incapacity Benefit

contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

State Pension

IIDB will affect the following benefits if you or your partner are claiming them:

Income Support

income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Pension Credit

Housing Benefit

Working Tax Credit

Universal Credit

It may also affect Council Tax Reduction - contact your local council for more information.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Centres

Barrow IIDB Centre

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Bradford IIDB Centre


Claim if you were injured while serving in the armed forces

Overview

You can claim compensation if you were injured or got an illness while serving in the armed forces (including the reserve forces).

Compensation may include:

a lump sum

regular payments

What you can claim for

You can claim compensation for any injury or illness that happened as a result of your service, including physical and mental conditions.

You can also claim:

if you were injured during a service-related activity, eg a training exercise

for conditions you had before service if you feel your service made them worse

If you’re a victim of crime while serving abroad

Find out if you qualify for the Criminal Injuries Compensation (Overseas) scheme if you were the victim of a violent crime while serving abroad.

What you'll get

The compensation you get depends on either:

when you were injured

when the circumstances happened that caused your illness

What you get might be reduced if you’re getting compensation from another scheme.

If your injury or illness is due to service after 5 April 2005

If your claim is successful, you’ll get a tax-free lump sum payment between £1,236 and £650,000. The amount you get will depend on how severe your injury is.

If you have a more serious illness or injury

You may also receive a tax-free monthly payment for life when you’re discharged - sometimes known as a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP).

The GIP is based on your salary, age and how severe your injury is.

If your GIP payment level is 50% of your salary or more, you can also claim an Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP).

If your injury or illness is due to service before 6 April 2005

If your claim is successful, you’ll be awarded either:

a pension - if your disability is assessed at 20% or more

a lump sum - if your disability is assessed at less than 20%

You might also be able to get other allowances if you’re having problems getting around or finding a job.

Eligibility

The rules for qualifying are different depending on when you were injured.

Claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).

To qualify you must be:

a current or former member of the armed forces

applying no later than 7 years after the injury or illness, unless you’re claiming for an illness that started later (sometimes known as a ‘late onset illness’)

Claim under the War Pension Scheme (WPS).

There are no time limits for claiming under the WPS but you must be no longer serving in the armed forces.

How to claim

Fill in the claim form and send it to the address on the form.

It’s the same claim form for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and War Pension Scheme (WPS).

You can ask the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) for help with making your claim.

You may be contacted for more evidence in support of your claim.

You may be able to apply for a ‘fast payment’ of £60,000 if you were seriously injured during service after 8 May 2011.

If you disagree with the decision on your claim

You can write to Veterans UK to ask them reconsider their decision.

You can also appeal to an independent tribunal within 12 months.

Additional payments

You can apply for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) while your compensation claim is being dealt with.

You might also be able to get:

other allowances if your injury or illness is due to service before 6 April 2005

an Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) if you were seriously injured on or after 6 April 2005

Once you’ve had the result of your compensation claim, you might be able to claim AFIP if you’ve been seriously injured.

AFIP is £151.40 per week. It’s tax free and is paid every 4 weeks into your bank account.

Eligibility

You’re eligible if both of the following apply:

you were injured on or after 6 April 2005

you’re given a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) of 50% or more

You’ll get the payment as long as you’re entitled to this level of GIP. You won’t be reassessed in the future.

If you’re not eligible for AFIP, you can get a PIP if you have a long-term health condition or disability.

How to claim

Contact Veterans UK for a claim form. There’s no deadline.

Claiming other benefits with AFIP

If you get AFIP you might be eligible for other benefits, eg Child Tax Credit.

AFIP is not counted as income when working out your what other benefits you can claim.

Your household is exempt from the benefit cap if you or your partner are getting AFIP.


Diffuse mesothelioma payments

Overview

You may be able to get a payment if you’ve been diagnosed with the asbestos-related disease, diffuse mesothelioma.

There are 2 types of payment you can claim for:

diffuse mesothelioma payments (the ‘2008 scheme’)

the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS)

You can claim DMPS if you cannot find the employer responsible for your contact with asbestos, or their insurer.

What you'll get

The 2008 scheme

You’ll get one payment.

The amount you’ll get depends on how old you were when your disease was diagnosed. For example, if you were 60 when your disease was diagnosed, and you qualify, you’ll get a payment of £44,312.

Rates

Age when diagnosed | Payment

37 and under | £94,296

38 | £92,463

39 | £90,633

40 | £88,804

41 | £86,971

42 | £85,140

43 | £84,227

44 | £83,306

45 | £82,394

46 | £81,477

47 | £80,562

48 | £78,003

49 | £75,440

50 | £72,873

51 | £70,312

52 | £67,742

53 | £65,913

54 | £64,085

55 | £62,258

56 | £60,418

57 | £58,587

58 | £53,829

59 | £49,066

60 | £44,312

61 | £39,550

62 | £34,790

63 | £31,859

64 | £28,926

65 | £26,001

66 | £23,071

67 | £20,142

68 | £19,545

69 | £18,946

70 | £18,357

71 | £17,761

72 | £17,169

73 | £16,662

74 | £16,146

75 | £15,652

76 | £15,155

77 and over | £14,651

Your payment will depend on the details of your claim. Read about payment amounts on the DMPS website.

Eligibility

The 2008 scheme

You can claim a one-off payment if you:

are not entitled to a payment under the 1979 Pneumoconiosis Act

have not been given a payment for the disease from an employer, a civil claim or elsewhere

are not entitled to compensation from a Ministry of Defence scheme

You must have been exposed to asbestos in the United Kingdom.

Examples of exposure include:

you came into contact with asbestos from a relative, for instance by washing their clothes

you were exposed to asbestos in the environment, for instance you lived near a factory using asbestos

you were exposed to asbestos while self-employed

your exposure cannot be specified but it occurred in the United Kingdom

You may be able to claim if all of the following apply:

you were diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after 25 July 2012

your mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos when working in the UK

you cannot trace the employer that exposed you to asbestos, or their insurers

you have not made a civil claim against any employer or insurer

you have not received damages or a specified payment for mesothelioma and you’re not eligible to a specified payment

You may also be able to claim if you were the dependant of a sufferer who has died.

You can claim for DMPS even if you have already claimed from the 2008 scheme or under the 1979 Pneumoconiosis Act. If you’ve already got a payment from the 2008 scheme or the Pneumoconiosis Act, it will be deducted from the amount you get from DMPS.

You may still be able to claim from the 2008 scheme even if you are unsuccessful in your DMPS claim.

Claims through the DMPS scheme must be made within 3 years of diagnosis.

Payments for dependants

The 2008 scheme

You may be able to claim if you were the dependant of a sufferer who has died. You must claim within 12 months of their death.

Contact Barrow Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) Centre to find out if you’re eligible.

Rates

If you qualify, you’ll get one payment. The amount will depend on how old the person with mesothelioma was when they died. For example, if they were 60 when they died, and you qualify, you’ll get a payment of £19,182.

Age of death | Payment

37 and under | £49,073

38 | £48,018

39 | £46,965

40 | £45,913

41 | £44,860

42 | £43,808

43 | £42,800

44 | £41,784

45 | £40,783

46 | £39,777

47 | £38,772

48 | £37,536

49 | £36,297

50 | £35,063

51 | £33,831

52 | £32,596

53 | £31,583

54 | £30,580

55 | £29,573

56 | £28,559

57 | £27,555

58 | £24,768

59 | £21,971

60 | £19,182

61 | £16,389

62 | £13,593

63 | £12,795

64 | £12,003

65 | £11,191

66 | £10,392

67 and over | £8,124

How to claim

The 2008 scheme

Fill in a mesothelioma payment claim form and provide medical evidence.

Contact Barrow Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) Centre if you cannot print out a form and you need one sent to you.

Alternative formats

Contact the Barrow IIDB Centre to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.

You must claim within 12 months of diagnosis. If you’re a dependant claiming for a sufferer who is now deceased, you must claim within 12 months from the date of their death.

You can apply online at the DMPS website.

You’ll need:

your National Insurance number

your full employment history, with evidence - for example, P60s

evidence of unsuccessful attempts to trace your employer or insurers

the date of your diagnosis

evidence of diagnosis

details of any previous claims

a witness statement

Contact TopMark for more information on the DMPS and how to apply.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for a mandatory review.

If you’re unhappy with the outcome of the mandatory review, you can appeal to to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. The tribunal is impartial and independent of government.

Appeal to the tribunal within one month of getting the mandatory review decision. If you submit your appeal after a month you’ll have to explain why you did not do it earlier.

Download and fill in form SSCS6a and send it to the address on the form.

You’ll need to choose whether you want to go to the tribunal hearing to explain your case. If you do not attend, your appeal will be decided on your appeal form and any supporting evidence.

After you submit your appeal, you can provide evidence. Your appeal and the evidence will be discussed at a hearing by a judge and one or two experts. The judge will then make a decision.

It usually takes around 6 months for your appeal to be heard by the tribunal.


Reduced Earnings Allowance

Overview

If you cannot earn as much as you used to because of an accident or disease caused by your work, you could get up to £73.16 per week Reduced Earnings Allowance.

You can only get it for accidents that happened, or diseases that started, before 1 October 1990.

You may also be able to get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).

Effect on other benefits

Reduced Earnings Allowance could affect any income-related benefits that you or your partner get.

Contact the Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) centre for details.

What you'll get

You could get up to £73.16 per week.

What you get depends on how much you earn in your regular employment.

Ask the Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) centre about how much you can get.

Reduced Earnings Allowance will be replaced by another benefit called Retirement Allowance if both the following apply:

you reach State Pension age

you’re not in regular employment

How you’re paid

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Eligibility

You could get Reduced Earnings Allowance if you have an illness or disability caused by a work-related accident or disease that happened before 1 October 1990.

You must also meet all of the following criteria:

your level of disability is assessed to be at least 1%

you cannot return to your regular occupation

you cannot do other work with the same level of earnings as your regular occupation

Going abroad

If you leave the UK to live abroad permanently, you may not be able to get Reduced Earnings Allowance.

Check if you can get benefits if you move to the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

For temporary visits to countries outside the EEA, you can usually claim for the first 3 months of your stay.

This can be longer in special circumstances - check with the International Pensions Centre to see if you qualify.

Your circumstances change

Tell the Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) centre straight away if your circumstances change, for example:

you stop or start work

you change your occupation

your earnings change

How to claim

You’ll need to fill in and post a claim form.

Contact the Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) centre to get a form.

The form comes with notes that will:

help you fill it in

tell you where to send it

Claim straight away or you might lose benefit.

Contact the Barnsley IIDB centre

Alternative formats

Call to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.


Blind Person's Allowance

Overview

Blind Person’s Allowance is an extra amount of tax-free allowance.

It means you can earn more before you start paying Income Tax.

What you'll get

Blind Person’s Allowance is added to your yearly Personal Allowance - the amount of money you can earn before you start paying Income Tax.

Tax year | Blind Person’s Allowance

2021 to 2022 | £2,520

2020 to 2021 | £2,500

If you and your spouse or civil partner are both eligible, you’ll each get an allowance.

You can transfer your Blind Person’s Allowance to your spouse or civil partner if you do not pay tax or earn enough to use all of your allowance.

Previous tax years

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes tables with tax rates that include Blind Person’s Allowance for current and past tax years.

Eligibility

England and Wales

You can claim Blind Person’s Allowance if both of the following apply:

you’re registered with your local council as blind or severely sight impaired

you have a certificate that says you’re blind or severely sight impaired (or a similar document from your doctor)

Scotland and Northern Ireland

you cannot do work for which eyesight is essential

How to claim

Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to claim.

Transfer your allowance

You can transfer your Blind Person’s Allowance to your spouse or civil partner if you do not pay tax or cannot use all of it.

You can do this:

if you’re married or in a civil partnership

if you’re living with your spouse or civil partner

whether or not your spouse or civil partner is blind

You can still transfer your allowance if you’re unable to live with your spouse or civil partner because of:

illness or old age, for example where your spouse or partner is in residential care

working away from home

an armed forces posting

being in prison

training or education

How to transfer your allowance

To transfer your allowance to a spouse or civil partner, use form 575 or call HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

You’ll also get the option to transfer any Married Couple’s Allowance.

If you’re making a claim to get tax back on savings and investment interest using form R40 you can also ask for a copy of form 575 by ticking the appropriate box.

Get the form in another format

Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you need the form in a different format, for example Braille.


Vaccine Damage Payment

Overview

If you’re severely disabled as a result of a vaccination against certain diseases, you could get a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000. This is called a Vaccine Damage Payment.

Effect on benefits you receive

A Vaccine Damage Payment can affect benefits and entitlements like:

Income Support

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Working Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit

Universal Credit

Pension Credit

Housing Benefit

Council Tax Reduction

Employment and Support Allowance

The effect the payment will have depends on a number of things. This includes the payment being put into a trust and the payments being made from it.

You should let the office that deals with your benefit or tax credit claim know if you’ve got a Vaccine Damage Payment. You can get contact details from letters they have sent you.

What you'll get

A Vaccine Damage Payment is a tax free one-off payment of £120,000.

How you’re paid

You’ll get payment direct to you or, if you’re under 18 or cannot manage your own affairs, payment will be made to trustees.

If you live with your family, your parents may be appointed as trustees.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account, for example your bank account.

Eligibility

You could get a payment if you’re severely disabled and your disability was caused by vaccination against any of the following diseases:

coronavirus (COVID-19)

diphtheria

haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

human papillomavirus

influenza, except for influenza caused by a pandemic influenza virus

measles

meningococcal group B (meningitis B)

meningococcal group C (meningitis C)

meningococcal group W (meningitis W)

mumps

pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 (swine flu) - up to 31 August 2010

pertussis (whooping cough)

pneumococcal infection

poliomyelitis

rotavirus

rubella (German measles)

smallpox - up to 1 August 1971

tetanus

tuberculosis (TB)

You may have had a combined vaccination against a number of the diseases listed. For example, you might have been vaccinated against DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) or MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).

You may also be able to get a payment if you’re severely disabled because either:

your mother was vaccinated against one of the diseases in the list while she was pregnant

you’ve been in close physical contact with someone who’s had an oral vaccine against poliomyelitis

What counts as ‘severely disabled’

Disablement is worked out as a percentage, and ‘severe disablement’ means at least 60% disabled.

This could be a mental or physical disablement and will be based on medical evidence from the doctors or hospitals involved in your treatment.

When and where the vaccination must have taken place

You must normally have been vaccinated before your 18th birthday, unless the vaccination was during an outbreak of disease in the UK or the Isle of Man, or it was against:

coronavirus (COVID-19)

poliomyelitis

rubella

meningococcal group C

human papillomavirus

meningococcal group W before your 26th birthday

influenza

The vaccination must have been given in the UK or the Isle of Man, unless you were vaccinated as part of your armed forces medical treatment.

How to claim

Apply by filling out a claim form. If you’re under 16, your parent or guardian should claim on your behalf.

Send it to:

You can also contact the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit to ask for a claim form:

Time limits on making a claim

You can only claim for a child once they are 2 years old.

To claim for an adult, apply by whichever is the latest of the following dates:

on or before their 21st birthday (or if they’ve died, the date they would have reached 21)

within 6 years of the vaccination

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reversal’

If the decision was made after 27 October 2013

Write to the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit. You must:

explain why you think the decision is wrong

include any new evidence to support your application - only include evidence you have not already sent

You need to include:

the date of the original payment decision

your name and address

your date of birth

your National Insurance number

If the decision was made on or before 27 October 2013

Contact the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit for advice on challenging the decision.

What happens next

The original decision will be reviewed. The Department for Work and Pensions will send you a new decision if they think it should be changed.

If they do not think the decision should be changed, you’ll get a ‘mandatory reversal notice’ that will explain the reasons why. This will include the information you need to be able to appeal.

If you disagree with the outcome

You can ask for mandatory reversal again - there’s no limit on the number of times you can make this request, and no time limit.

You can also appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. The tribunal is impartial and independent of government.

There is no time limit for requesting an appeal.

Download and fill in form SSCS1 and send it to the address on the form.

You’ll need to choose whether you want to go to the tribunal hearing to explain your case. If you do not attend, your appeal will be decided on your appeal form and any supporting evidence.

After you submit your appeal, you can provide evidence. Your appeal and the evidence will be discussed at a hearing by a judge and one or two experts, for example a doctor. The judge will then make a decision.

It usually takes around 6 months for for your appeal to be heard by the tribunal.


Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

Disabled Students' Allowance

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.

This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get.

The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income.

You do not need to pay back DSA.

What you’ll get

2021 to 2022 academic year

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £25,000 a year for support.

2020 to 2021 academic year

| Specialist equipment allowance | Non-medical helper allowance | General allowance

Full-time undergraduate students | Up to £5,849 for the whole course | Up to £23,258 a year | Up to £1,954 a year

Part-time undergraduate students | Up to £5,849 for the whole course | Up to £17,443 a year | Up to £1,465 a year

Postgraduates can get support of up to £20,580 a year.

These figures are the maximum amounts - most students get less.

What DSA can pay for

You can get help with the costs of:

specialist equipment, for example a computer if you need one because of your disability

non-medical helpers, for example a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or specialist note taker

extra travel to attend your course or placement because of your disability

other disability-related study support, for example having to print additional copies of documents for proof-reading

DSA does not cover disability-related costs you’d have if you were not attending a course, or costs that any student might have.

Buying a new computer

You may get a new computer if you’re assessed as needing one because:

you do not already have one

your current one does not meet your study needs

When buying a new computer, you’ll need to pay the first £200.

The DSA team will send you more information about this after your needs assessment.

Your ‘needs assessment’

Once your eligibility for DSA is confirmed, Student Finance England may ask you to contact an assessment centre to work out what help you need.

This is known as a needs assessment. Do not book this until Student Finance England asks you to.

The assessment is paid for through any DSA entitlement you may have.

After the assessment, you’ll get a report listing equipment and other support you can get for your course.

Do not buy any equipment until you’ve been assessed - you will not be reimbursed for it.

How DSA is paid

Money is paid either into your bank account or directly to the organisation providing the service or equipment.

You’ll find out how your support will be paid to you after your needs assessment.

Eligibility

You can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) if you live in England and have a disability that affects your ability to study, such as a:

specific learning difficulty, for example dyslexia or ADHD

mental health condition, for example anxiety or depression

physical disability, for example if you have to use crutches, a wheelchair or a special keyboard

sensory disability, for example if you’re visually impaired, deaf or have a hearing impairment

long-term health condition, for example cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV

You must also:

be an undergraduate or postgraduate student (including Open University or distance learning)

qualify for student finance from Student Finance England

be studying on a course that lasts at least a year

Who is not eligible

You cannot get DSA from Student Finance England if you’re:

an EU student who is eligible for fee support only

eligible for NHS Disabled Students’ Allowances (this is a separate scheme)

getting equivalent support from another funding source, like from your university or a social work bursary

Proving you’re eligible

You will not automatically get DSA - you need proof of your eligibility.

Condition | Proof

Disabilities or long-term health condition | A copy of a report or letter from your doctor or consultant - you can also fill in the disability evidence form (PDF, 65KB)

Mental health condition | A copy of a report or letter from your doctor or consultant - you can also fill in the disability evidence form (PDF, 65KB)

Specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia | A copy of a ‘diagnostic assessment’ from a practitioner psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher

You could get extra help to pay for a new diagnostic assessment.

Where to send letters or reports from a doctor

You can send proof of a health condition or learning disability to Student Finance England through your online account - if you have one. You can also send your proof by email or post.

Your course

Your course must be in the UK and one of the following:

a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)

a postgraduate course

Initial Teacher Training

Check with your university or college that your course is recognised.

Part-time course intensity

2020 to 2021 academic year

For part-time students, your course intensity can affect how much DSA you get.

‘Course intensity’ means how long your course takes to complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course. You can check course intensity with your university or college.

The rules are different depending on your course.

Part-time undergraduate courses

Your course cannot be more than 4 times longer than the equivalent full-time course. Your course must last at least a year.

Part-time postgraduate master’s courses

If you’re applying for a Postgraduate Loan for a part-time master’s degree, the course must not last more than twice as long as the full-time equivalent.

How to apply

How you apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) depends on whether you’re studying full-time or part-time.

Full-time students

If you’ve already applied for student finance

Sign in to your student finance account to start your DSA application.

The application for DSA should be on your ‘to-do list’ if you chose DSA in your application for other support. If it is not, select ‘change your circumstances’ to apply.

If you do not have an online account because you applied for student finance by post, fill in a student finance form (form DSA1).

If you have not applied for student finance

You can apply for DSA when you apply for student finance online.

If you do not need student finance, you can fill in a student finance form (form DSA1) to apply just for DSA.

You cannot apply for student finance online once you’ve applied for DSA.

Part-time students

Fill in a student finance form (form DSA1) to apply for DSA.

If you’re already getting DSA

Fill in a student finance form (form DSA1) to claim back your expenses.

How long it takes

You’ll get confirmation of whether your application is successful within 6 weeks.

It can take up to 14 weeks to get your DSA support in place as this is done separately.

Further information

Contact the disability adviser at your university or college if you need advice about financial help.

If your circumstances change

Contact Student Finance England if your circumstances change as this may affect what you’re entitled to. For example, if your condition gets worse you may be able to get extra help.

Appeals

You can ask for an explanation or to have your case reviewed if your application is turned down. Contact Student Finance England for more details.


Carer's Allowance

How it works

You could get £67.60 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.

You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person.

If someone else also cares for the same person as you, only one of you can claim Carer’s Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. You have to pay tax on it if your income is over the Personal Allowance.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Claiming Carer’s Allowance if you’re affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)

You can claim Carer’s Allowance if you provide care remotely during the coronavirus outbreak. This includes giving emotional support over the phone or online.

How you’re paid

You can choose to be paid weekly in advance or every 4 weeks.

It will be paid into an account, for example your bank account.

What else you can get

For each week you get Carer’s Allowance you’ll automatically get National Insurance credits.

You may also be able to apply for:

support from your local council

a Council Tax Reduction

Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or out of work

Pension Credit if you’re over working age

grants and bursaries to help pay for courses and training

Income Support (if you get the severe disability premium and you’re on a low income)

income-based Employment and Support Allowance (if you get the severe disability premium and you cannot work)

If you live in Scotland and get Carer’s Allowance, you may also get Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Get help and advice

You can get more help and advice from:

Carers UK

Carers Trust

Citizens Advice

NHS: Carers Direct helpline

Eligibility

You may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance if you, the person you care for and the type of care you provide meets certain criteria.

The person you care for

The person you care for must already get one of these benefits:

Personal Independence Payment - daily living component

Disability Living Allowance - the middle or highest care rate

Attendance Allowance

Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension

Armed Forces Independence Payment

The type of care you provide

You need to spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone. This can include:

helping with washing and cooking

taking the person you care for to a doctor’s appointment

helping with household tasks, like managing bills and shopping

If you or the person you care for are affected by coronavirus, you can still claim Carer’s Allowance if you provide care remotely. This includes giving emotional support over the phone or online.

Your eligibility

All of the following must apply:

you’re 16 or over

you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone

you’ve been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)

you normally live in England, Scotland or Wales, or you live abroad as a member of the armed forces (you might still be eligible if you’re moving to or already living in an EEA country or Switzerland)

you’re not in full-time education

you’re not studying for 21 hours a week or more

you’re not subject to immigration control

your earnings are £128 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses

If your earnings are sometimes more than £128 a week you might still be eligible for Carer’s Allowance. Your average earnings may be calculated to work out if you’re eligible.

Calculating your earnings

Your earnings are any income from employment and self-employment after tax, National Insurance and expenses.

Expenses can include:

50% of your pension contributions

equipment you need to do your job, for example specialist clothing

travel costs between different workplaces that are not paid for by your employer, for example fuel or train fares

business costs if you’re self-employed, for example a computer you only use for work

If you pay a carer to look after the disabled person or your children while you work, you can treat care costs that are less than or equal to 50% of your earnings as an expense. The carer must not be your spouse, partner, parent, child or sibling.

Payments that do not count as earnings include:

money received from an occupational or private pension

contributions towards your living or accommodation costs from someone you live with (they cannot be a tenant or boarder)

the first £20 a week and 50% of the rest of any income you make from someone boarding in your home

a loan or advance payment from your employer

If you get State Pension

You cannot get the full amount of both Carer’s Allowance and your State Pension at the same time.

If your pension is £67.60 a week or more, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment.

If your pension is less than £67.60 a week, you’ll get a Carer’s Allowance payment to make up the difference.

If you get Pension Credit

If your State Pension is more than £67.60 a week, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment but your Pension Credit payments will increase instead.

If you’re not eligible

You might be eligible for Carer’s Credit if you’re not eligible for Carer’s Allowance.

Effect on other benefits

Carer’s Allowance can affect the other benefits that both you and the person you care for get.

Effect on the benefits of the person you care for

When you claim Carer’s Allowance, the person you care for will stop getting:

a severe disability premium paid with their benefits

an extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit, if they get one

They might also stop getting reduced Council Tax. Contact their local council to find out if this affects them.

Effect on your benefits

When you claim Carer’s Allowance your other benefit payments may change, but your total benefit payments will usually either go up or stay the same.

Carer’s Allowance does not count towards the benefit cap.

If you get Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, you must contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to tell them about your Carer’s Allowance claim.

If you get Pension Credit, your payments will increase if you’re eligible for Carer’s Allowance.

If you delay claiming your State Pension, this could increase the State Pension payments you get when you decide to claim it. You cannot build up extra State Pension during any period you get Carer’s Allowance.

Use a benefits calculator to work out how your other benefits will be affected.

Make a claim

Before you apply make sure you have your:

National Insurance number (if you have a partner you’ll need theirs too)

bank or building society details (unless you get your State Pension)

employment details and latest payslip if you’re working

P45 if you’ve recently finished work

course details if you’re studying

details of any expenses, for example pension contributions or the cost of caring for your children or the disabled person while you’re at work

You also need details of the person you care for. You need their:

date of birth and address

National Insurance number if they’re 16 or over

Disability Living Allowance reference if they’re under 16

You can backdate your claim by up to 3 months.

Apply now

Other ways to apply

If you cannot apply online, you can apply by post. The address to send your application to is at the end of the form.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Report a change in circumstances

You must report changes in your circumstances if you’re claiming or have applied for Carer’s Allowance.

Changes can include:

starting a job

starting or ending full-time education

changes to your income

stopping being a carer

the person you care for no longer getting their disability benefit

someone else who cares for the same person claiming Carer’s Allowance instead of you

someone else who cares for the same person claims the carer’s element of Universal Credit

changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen

You must tell the Department for Work and Pensions if the person you’re caring for dies.

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

If you temporarily stop providing care for someone

You can still get Carer’s Allowance if you temporarily stop providing care. This means any period when you spend less than 35 hours a week caring for the other person.

The person you care for must still receive their disability benefit.

You must tell DWP if you temporarily stop providing care and:

you or the person you care for will be in hospital, a nursing home, or respite care for more than 12 weeks

you stop caring for more than 28 days for any other reason

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

did not report a change straight away

gave wrong information

were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.

If you’re working

You can work and get Carer’s Allowance, as long as you spend at least 35 hours in your caring role.

You can get support for you or the person you care for from your employer, local councils and other organisations.

Time off for an emergency

You can ask your employer for time off to deal with an emergency involving someone else who depends on you for care. How much time off you get depends on your situation.

If you do not qualify for time off, your employer may allow you ‘compassionate leave’ for emergency situations.

Flexible working

If you need to work more flexibly, for example work part-time or work from home, you can request flexible working.

You do not have to tell your employer about your caring role or give another reason why you need to work more flexibly.

Respite care or ‘short break’ care

If you need someone to help look after the person you care for while you’re at work, you can apply for respite care (also known as ‘short break’ care).

Respite care options include:

getting a paid carer or a volunteer to sit with the person you look after for a few hours

a regular place in a day care centre for the person you care for

Your local council may pay for respite care but you and the person you care for will need an assessment before you can apply.

Contact your local authority for information about local support.

Advice on starting work

If you need help starting or returning to work, contact your local Jobcentre Plus for help on how to combine work with your caring responsibilities.


Carer's Credit

Overview

You could get Carer’s Credit if you’re caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week.

Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit that helps with gaps in your National Insurance record. Your State Pension is based on your National Insurance record.

Your income, savings or investments will not affect eligibility for Carer’s Credit.

What you'll get

If you’re eligible for Carer’s Credit, you can get credits to help fill gaps in your National Insurance record.

This means you can take on caring responsibilities without affecting your ability to qualify for the State Pension.

Eligibility

To get Carer’s Credit you must be:

aged 16 or over

under State Pension age

looking after one or more people for at least 20 hours a week

The person you’re looking after must get one of the following:

Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate

Attendance Allowance

Constant Attendance Allowance

Personal Independence Payment - daily living component, at the standard or enhanced rate

Armed Forces Independence Payment

If the person you’re caring for does not get one of these benefits, you may still be able to get Carer’s Credit. When you apply, fill in the ‘Care Certificate’ part of the application form and get a health or social care professional to sign it.

Carers who do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance may qualify for Carer’s Credit.

Breaks in caring and eligibility

You can still get Carer’s Credit even if you have breaks from caring (up to 12 weeks in a row).

For example, you’ll still get Carer’s Credit for 12 weeks if:

you take a short holiday

someone you look after goes into hospital

you go into hospital

Keep the Carer’s Allowance Unit updated if you have a break in caring of more than 12 weeks in a row.

How to claim

Before you start

You do not need to apply for Carer’s Credit if you:

get Carer’s Allowance - you’ll automatically get credits

get Child Benefit for a child under the age of 12 - you’ll automatically get credits

are a foster carer - you can apply for National Insurance credits instead

Apply using a form

Download the Carer’s Credit claim form.

The form includes a Care Certificate - ask a health or social care professional to sign it for you.

You can also get the form by calling the Carer’s Allowance Unit.

Alternative formats

Call the Carer’s Allowance Unit to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.

Where to send your form

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.