Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

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1. 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.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and in an easy read format.

2. 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% £221.50  
90% £199.35  
80% £177.20  
70% £155.05  
60% £132.90  
50% £110.75  
40% £88.60  
30% £66.45  
20% £44.30

3. 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.

4. 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

You’ll need to use a different form depending on whether you’re claiming for:

  • accidents caused by work (form BI100A)
  • diseases caused by work (form BI100PD)

Download and print the appropriate claim form.

Request a claim form by phone

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

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Telephone: 0800 121 8379
Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 8379
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

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

If you disagree with a decision

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

5. 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 the benefit improves, gets worse, or you were misdiagnosed
  • you change your name or gender
  • you get married or form a civil partnership
  • you change your address
  • you change your phone number
  • you change your bank details
  • you leave or intend to leave the country
  • you go into prison or are held in custody
  • your immigration status changes, if you’re not a British or Irish citizen
  • you change the person who has authority to act on your behalf
  • your condition was caused by service in the UK armed forces and you get compensation from the government

If you get Unemployability Supplement, you must also report if:

  • you move in with a partner
  • you go into hospital
  • you start or stop work
  • your annual earnings increase

There are different changes you need to report if you also get Reduced Earnings Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance.

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

Call the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) helpline or write to the Barnsley IIDB Centre.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit helpline

Telephone: 0800 121 8379
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 8379  
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1SY

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.

6. 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 £88.70 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 both of the following apply:

  • 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 (including asbestosis, silicosis and kaolinosis)
  • byssinosis
  • diffuse mesothelioma
  • unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening
  • asbestos-related primary carcinoma of the lung

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.

There are two different payment schemes.

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

You can claim for the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS) 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.

You can read more about the eligibility for both schemes.

Effects on other benefits

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

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

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

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Centres

IIDB helpline
Telephone: 0800 121 8379
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 8379  
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1SY