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If you have become ill or disabled due to something that happened at work, you may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB). This is a benefit for people who were injured or developed certain medical conditions or diseases in their workplace or on an approved employment training scheme or course.
You can receive IIDB if you require care, which means you can use the payments towards care you receive in your own home. For example, if you have a disability caused by an accident in work that means you cannot get out of bed in the morning by yourself, you can use the money to pay for a carer to assist you.
What is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions if you are in England, Wales and Scotland. If you are in Northern Ireland, it is paid by the Department for Communities.
It is paid weekly to people who are disabled or ill because they were injured in an accident caused by their work or developed a certain medical condition. For example, you may have arthritis, caused directly by the work you did or suffered from asbestos poisoning.
Depending on how your disability affects you, IIDB can be paid for life or for a fixed period.
It is a no-fault compensation scheme, which means the injury or disease is regarded as inevitable and there is no need to prove that another party, such as your employer, was at fault through the court system.
The benefit is not taxable and not means tested. There are no rules regarding your age. However, you must have a contract of employment.
IIDB does not cover people who are self-employed.
What are Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit rates 2025?
The amount you get paid each week depends on your assessed level of disablement. Your level of disability will be assessed by a medical advisor. The higher your level of disablement is, the more money you will receive, up to £225.30.
You will be assessed on a scale of 1 to 100 per cent, but you will normally need to be assessed as 14 per cent disabled or more to qualify. Disablement between 14 and 19 per cent is rounded up to 20 per cent for payment purposes.
| Level of disablement (%) | Weekly IIDB payment |
|---|---|
| 100 | £225.30 |
| 90 | £202.77 |
| 80 | £180.24 |
| 70 | £157.71 |
| 60 | £135.18 |
| 50 | £112.65 |
| 40 | £90.12 |
| 30 | £67.59 |
| 20 | £45.06 |
If you receive a means-tested benefit at the same time, such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), IIDB will be taken into account as income.
If you are assessed as being 100 per cent disabled, you may also be entitled to both or one of:
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance
Am I eligible?
To be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, the following must be true:
- Been employed or on an approved employment training scheme or course when the accident or event happened.
- The accident or event that caused your disability or illness happened in the UK.
People who are self-employed cannot qualify for IIDB.
Accidents
For the purposes of IIDB, an ‘accident’ means any unintended incident at work that has resulted in personal injury.
It does not matter if you were immediately injured, such as breaking your arm, or the injury was delayed. A delayed injury could be an incident which leads to impaired mobility at a later date.
Diseases
The IIDB benefit covers more than 70 diseases, including diseases related to exposure to asbestos.
Examples include:
- Asthma
- Leukaemia (other than chronic lymphocytic leukaemia)
- Cataract
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), previously known as Chronic Bronchitis or Emphysema
- Pneumoconiosis (including Silicosis and Asbestosis)
You can find the full list on the government’s website.
How do I get assessed for IIDB?
A doctor will assess your level of disablement to determine the percentage, only taking into the account the level of disability directly related to the accident or the disease you acquired at work.
Pre-existing conditions will not be taken into account.
Your doctor will determine whether your disability or disease will last for a fixed period of for life. However, you can be reassessed if the disability or disease caused by your work worsens, or when a fixed period ends.
How to apply for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?
To apply for IIDB, you must complete and post a claim form. The form will tell you how to fill it in and where to send it.
Download and print a claim for by following the links below, depending on if you are claiming for an accident or disease caused by work.
England, Wales and Scotland
Northern Ireland
You can request a claim form by phone as well.
If you are in England, Wales and Scotland, the phone number is:
0800 121 8379
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
If you are in Northern Ireland, the number you should call depend on what letter your surname begins with:
- A-D: 028 4146 6671
- E-L: 028 4146 6646
- M-Mi: 028 4146 6723
- Mo-Z: 028 4146 6712
To explore other benefits you may be entitled to if you need home care, click here.
If you want help and advice on the costs of care in your own home, follow the link below.
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