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If you are unable to work because of your illness you may be able to claim one of the following:
STATUTORY SICK PAY
This is paid and administered by the employer and the Inland Revenue, not the Dept. for Works and Pensions, and is taxable. Your employer is legally required to pay Statutory Sick Pay during the first 28 weeks of sickness unless you are no longer in their employment or your earnings are too low. You will need to notify your employer promptly of any sickness.
EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT ALLOWANCE / INCAPACITY BENEFIT
Incapacity Benefit will gradually be replaced by Employment Support Allowance by 2010. Incapacity Benefit is currently paid to those who claimed before 27th October 2008, having paid enough National Insurance contributions, and being no longer entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. There are two different rates depending on how long you have been incapable of work.
Employment Support Allowance (ESA) replaces Incapacity Benefit (IB), and Income Support (IS) for those who are too sick to work, for new claimants from 27 October 2008. ESA (Contribution Based) replaces Incapacity Benefit, whilst ESA (Income Related) replaces Income Support for those who are sick.
New claims for ESA are made by telephone. If Incapacity Benefit was paid in the last 104 weeks, or Income Support in the last 52 weeks, it is best to reclaim IB or IS, because ESA is generally the worst option of the two.
Extra payments through ”premiums” or “additions” as for Income Support or Pension Credit can be paid along with Employment Support Allowance (Income Related), if the claimant or their partner is disabled or entitled to certain other benefits such as Carers Allowance or DLA. Please ask about these premiums as listed below:
CARER’S ALLOWANCE
This benefit is paid to someone who is caring for a person who is ill or disabled. IMPORTANT NOTE
It is important to obtain full expert advice before claiming Carer’s Allowance. This is because when the main carer receives this allowance it may cause the disabled person to lose some or all of their Income Support, Employment Support Allowance (IR) or Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.
Carer’s Allowance is paid if you fulfil the following requirements:
Savings, earnings and other income You do not need to have paid any National Insurance contributions to claim Carer’s Allowance. It can be paid on top of any amount of savings and most benefits except the following:
If you are already receiving one of the above because you are incapable of work yourself or widowed or retired you will be paid the higher of the two. However it is still worth claiming Carer’s Allowance because it can give you extra Income Support, or Employment Support Allowance (IR), or Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Benefit.
Carer’s Allowance is taxable
Claim on form DS700 from your Jobcentre Plus office.
BEREAVEMENT BENEFITS
If your wife or husband died on or after 9th April 2001 you may be entitled to benefit if you are under age 60 (women) and 65 (men). Benefits are:
Women whose husband died prior to 9th April 2001 may be entitled to the old Widows Benefit. Unfortunately, men can only claim the new Bereavement Benefits mentioned below.
Bereavement Payment (one-off payment)
This is a single payment of £2,000 paid to either a woman or a man under pension age, 60 (women) 65 (men). If you are over this age you may still be able to claim if your late partner was not entitled to a Retirement Pension on their own contributions.
The £2000.00 must be claimed within 12 months of death and can be paid in addition to one of the Allowances mentioned below.
Widowed Parent’s Allowance
This is a weekly allowance paid to a man or a woman whose spouse died on or after 9th April 2001 and you are now caring for a child for whom you get Child Benefit and
Your spouse had paid enough National Insurance Contributions or s/he died as a result of an asbestos-related illness caused by their job or working conditions/environment.
Bereavement Allowance
This is a weekly allowance paid for a period of 52 weeks (or up to pension age if this is less) to a man or a woman whose spouse died on or after 9th April 2001. For this allowance you must be age 45 or over at the time of death and
Your spouse had paid enough National Insurance Contributions or s/he died as a result of an asbestos-related illness caused by their job or working conditions/environment.
Savings, earnings and other income.
You can only get one of the above allowances in addition to the Bereavement Payment. There is no limit to the amount that you can earn and they can be paid on top of any amount of savings. However these allowances will reduce any Income Support and Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit that you may receive.