If you can’t work, or work reduced hours, because of sickness or disability – financial support is available. You might be able to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), paid by your employer. If this has run out, or you can’t claim it, you might be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Universal Credit, and other benefits.
What’s in this guide
- If you can’t work because of coronavirus
- What disability and sickness benefits can I claim? | MoneyHelper
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other disability benefit
- The Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Attendance Allowance
- Help with housing costs
- Other benefits you might be entitled to
- If you’ve got income or savings
- Benefits for carers
- Help with getting about – Motability and Blue Badge Schemes
- Help and advice with sickness and disability benefits
- Appointing someone to deal with your sickness and disability benefit claim for you
- Help with NHS health costs
If you can’t work, the help you might qualify for depends on whether you’re an employee or self-employed:
- If you’re an employee, you might also be able to get Statutory Sick Pay.
- If you’re self-employed or don’t qualify for Statutory Sick Pay from your employer, you might qualify for new style Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.
Claim a self-isolation support payment
In England the Test and Trace payment support scheme ended on 24 February 2022.
If you live in in Scotland Wales or Northern Ireland, help is still available if:
- you have to self isolate
- someone you need to care for has to self-isolate.
You don’t need to pay the money back. But you must report the payment on your Self Assessment tax return if you need to file one.
In Scotland you could get a £500 Self-Isolation Support Grant. Check if you qualify and how to apply on mygov.scotOpens in a new window
In Wales you may be able to apply for a £750 grant. Find out more about the Self-Isolation support scheme at gov.wales Opens in a new window
In Northern Ireland find out more about how you could apply for the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant at nidirect.gov.ukOpens in a new window
What disability and sickness benefits can I claim?
Statutory Sick Pay
You might be able to claim Statutory Sick Pay of £99.35 a week (2022/23) for up to 28 weeks if:
- you’re employed, but not able to work
- your average earnings for the two months before you stopped working were at least £123 a week.
Find out whether you qualify and how to claim for statutory sick pay at GOV.UK (Opens in a new window)
New-style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If your Statutory Sick Pay has run out, or you don’t qualify for it, (for example, because you're self-employed) you might be able to get New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
This is paid if you can’t work or can only work a few hours a week because of sickness or disability. To qualify, you need to have been paying National Insurance contributions for the past two to three years.
Find out whether you qualify, and how to claim, New Style ESA in our guide Employment and Support Allowance
Universal Credit
If you don’t qualify for Statutory Sick Pay or New Style Employment and Support Allowance, you might be able to claim Universal Credit.
You can also claim Universal Credit alongside Statutory Sick Pay or New Style Employment and Support Allowance. You might end up getting more money if you claim both, particularly if you pay rent or have children to support.
Universal Credit is replacing other benefits, including income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and tax credits. You can no longer make a new claim for them
If you're already getting any of these benefits and need to claim Universal Credit because of sickness or disability, these benefits will stop and any support you need for extra costs, such as housing or bringing up children will be paid as part of Universal Credit instead.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other disability benefit
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is paid if you find it difficult to carry out daily tasks or get about.
It’s not means-tested, which means you could get it regardless of how much income or savings you have.
To qualify for it you must:
- be aged between 16 and state pension age
- have had these difficulties for three months and expect them to last for at least another nine months (unless you’re terminally ill).
PIP is replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults. If you’re making a new claim, you’ll be asked to claim PIP.
How much is PIP?
You could get between £24.45 and £156.90 a week (2022/23), depending on how severely your condition affects you.
The Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland
The Adult Disability Payment (ADP) will replace PIP and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults in Scotland in a staggered rollout that starts on 21 March 2022.
ADP will be paid by Social Security Scotland instead of the DWP, and you could get between £24.45 and £156.90 a week depending on how your health condition affects you.
If you’re already claiming PIP or DLA, Social Security Scotland will contact you about moving to ADP from the summer of 2022.
If you need to claim PIP or DLA after the rollout reaches your area, you will have to make a new claim for ADP instead when the rollout reaches your area. It’s planned to start in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles on 21 March 2022 and be rolled out to all of Scotland by 29 August 2022.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
You can only make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children under 16.
It’s not means-tested, which means you could get it regardless of how much income or savings you have.
How much is DLA?
Your child could get between £24.45 and £156.90 a week (2022/23), depending on how severely their condition affects them.
Attendance Allowance
You might qualify for Attendance Allowance if:
- you need help with personal care
- you need supervision to keep you safe
- you’re at State Pension age or over and haven’t previously claimed DLA/PIP.
Find out more about Attendance Allowance in our guide Benefits to help with your disability or care needs
Help with housing costs
If you’re renting
Most people can no longer make a new claim for Housing Benefit, and will have to claim the housing costs element of Universal Credit instead.
If you’ve reached State Pension age, or you’re getting the severe disability premium, you might still be able to put in a new clam for Housing Benefit.
If you’re a homeowner
You might get help towards interest payments on your mortgage. This is called Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).
SMI is usually paid directly to the lender 39 weeks after you first apply for this benefit. If you're claiming Pension Credit you can qualify for SMI straightaway.
It’s paid as a loan. You’ll have to pay this back either when you sell your house, or voluntarily when you’re able to – for example, when you return to work.
Help with Council Tax
If you’re on a low income, you might be able to get help with Council Tax or Rates payments.
Each local council has their own Council Tax Reduction scheme, so the help you get depends on where you live.
England and Wales
Contact your local council to find out more about their Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Scotland
Contact your local authority to find out about their Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Northern Ireland
You’ll need to claim Rate Relief instead.
Other benefits you might be entitled to
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
If your disability or illness was caused at work, you might be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
You must have been working for an employer or taking part in approved training. You won’t be able to claim it if you were self-employed.
The amount you can get depends on how severely your condition affects you.
It isn’t means-tested, so you could get it regardless of how much income or savings you have.
State Pension and Pension Credit
If you’ve reached State Pension age, you’ll be able to claim the State Pension.
If you’re on a low income, you might be able to top it up with Pension Credit.
However, if you’re in a couple and only one of you is over State Pension age, you’ll have to claim Universal Credit instead of Pension Credit until you both reach State Pension age.
If you’ve got income or savings
Benefits that help you with the extra care needs of being sick or disabled aren’t means-tested. These include Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance This means they’re not affected by your income and savings.
Other benefits, such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit, are affected by your income and savings – and your partner or spouse’s too.
Even if you have income and/or savings, it’s worth getting a benefits check to find out what you might be entitled to.
Benefits for carers
If a friend or family member cares for you, there’s also support available for them.
Help with getting about – Motability and Blue Badge Schemes
Motability Scheme
Who is it for?
People who get the higher rate mobility element of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. The scheme can provide a car, motorised wheelchair or scooter.
How to claim
Call Motability on 0300 456 4566
Blue Badge Scheme
Who is it for?
The Blue Badge scheme helps people with severe mobility problems who have difficulty using public transport to park close to where they need to go. Charges and entitlement rules for the Blue Badge scheme vary across the UK.
How to claim
Apply online for the blue badge at GOV.UK (Opens in a new window) or contact your local council.
Help and advice with sickness and disability benefits
There’s plenty of free help available if you’re unsure about what benefits you’re entitled to, or need help with making a claim.
If you claim benefits, you must explain your condition. Otherwise you might not get all the help you’re entitled to.
Appointing someone to deal with your sickness and disability benefit claim for you
If you can’t manage your benefits yourself, an individual or organisation can do this on your behalf.
This is called being an appointee. They become responsible for dealing with your Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits.
If you have a learning disability, you can ask Dosh Financial Advocacy to help you with your benefits as your advocate and appointee.
They’re a non-profit organisation, and also offer a series of fact sheets for family carers on managing money.
Help with NHS health costs
Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whatever your age and circumstances.
If you live in England and you’re getting certain benefits or you’re on a low income, you might be able to get help with health costs.
These include:
- dental costs
- eyecare costs
- NHS prescriptions
- help with travel costs to hospital appointments.