4. Help for sick and disabled workers and those injured at work


There are a number of benefits that you may be able to claim if you are sick, injured at work, or disabled. What you get depends on whether you are in work when the sickness or injury occurs, your National Insurance Contributions (NICs), your age and the length of time that you are sick. 


The range of benefits includes:


• Universal Credit (UC) (see Chapter 1);


• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) — ESA replaced Incapacity Benefit for new claimants from 2011.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)— if you are off work for up to 28 weeks; 


• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) — if you are sick or injured as a result of a workplace accident or disease or have become deaf through work;


• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) — this began to replace Disability Living Allowance in April 2013, and is for disabled people aged under the State Pension Age, whether in or out of work (see page 51). 


Someone with an illness or disability who is working may be entitled to Working Tax Credit (WTC) (see Chapter 3). 


If you are sick or disabled and on a low income, you may be able to get help with housing costs through Housing Benefit (see Chapter 7).