Benefits for sick, disabled or caring for someone

IMPORTANT FACTS- Employment and Support Allowance

• ESA has been covered in Benefits while Pregnant and with Dependent Children, so follow the above link for details.

IMPORTANT FACTS- Statutory Sick Pay

If you're working for an employer you're entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if the following apply:

• you're sick for at least four days in a row (including weekends, bank holidays and days that you do not normally work)
• you have average gross weekly earnings of at least the lower earnings limit (£116 a week in 2018-19)

To get SSP you must:

• tell your employer that you are sick
• provide some form of medical evidence from the eighth day of your illness, if asked by your employer

The standard weekly rate for SSP is £92.05 a week, paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks. SSP is usually paid on your usual payday in the same way as your regular earnings.

If your employer has a sick pay scheme, which is equal to or more than SSP, they do not have to operate the SSP scheme. They may also have different rules for payment, which you must adhere to.

Income Support

• Income Support has been covered in Benefits for those on a low income, so follow the above link for details.

Disability Living Allowance/ Personal Independence Payments

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a tax-free benefit for disabled children and adults to help with extra costs you may have due to your disability.
• The DLA is being replaced by Personal Independence Payments (PIP): new applicants have to claim PIP and existing DLA recipients will be asked to make a new claim by October 2017.
• How much you get depends on how your disability or health condition affects you. Care rates range from £22 to £85.60 a week.

Carer's Allowance

• Carer's Allowance is a benefit to help people who look after someone who is disabled. You don't have to be related to or live with the person you care for.
• In order to receive the Carer's Allowance, you do need to be aged 16 or over, and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a disabled person who receives disability benefits.
• Carer's Allowance cannot be claimed if you are in full-time education or you earn more than £116 a week after certain deductions (like Income Tax) have been made.
• The weekly rate is £64.60. This is reduced by the amount of certain other benefits, including State Pension, that you get.
• There are grants available for care leavers to help with crisis or education: The Care Leavers Foundation

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

• You might get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you're ill or disabled because of an accident or event that happened in connection with work. This covers accidents as well as diseases associated to your employment, such as asbestosis or emphysema. The amount you may get depends on your individual circumstances.

Disabled Facilities Grants

• A Disabled Facilities Grant is a local council grant which helps towards the cost of adapting your home to enable you to continue to live there. A grant is paid when the council considers that changes are necessary to meet your needs, and that the work is reasonable and practical.
• Other disability benefits are available for older people with disabilities, such as Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance and War Disablement Pension.