Industrial injuries

You can qualify if you are in or out of work and you do not have to have paid national insurance contributions. You can qualify for these benefits on top of other non-means-tested benefits such as Personal Independence Payment and Employment Support Allowance. Industrial Injuries Benefit will reduce the amount of means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit.

Industrial accidents

If you have an accident, report the details as soon as possible to your employer and enter them into an accident book. Your injury might be physical or it might be psychological. All type of employees can have accidents, not just industrial workers. Any accident sustained in the course of doing your job can qualify if it causes you a disability.

You should ask the Department for Work and Pensions for form BI100A. This form asks for details about you, your place of employment, and the accident you've had and how it has affected you. Completing and returning this form means you've made a claim to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

Prescribed industrial diseases

Benefits can also be paid for more than 80 different diseases which are prescribed as being risks of particular jobs and not just risks common to the general population. 

A full list of the prescribed diseases can be found here DWP Medical Reports.

Industrial injuries disablement benefit

The main benefit you can claim is called Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and to qualify you must be assessed as being at least 14per cent disabled by the accident or disease. Some prescribed diseases have other thresholds, for example for pneumoconiosis and byssinosis a disablement of only 1per cent is required for benefit to be paid.  Disablement from diffuse mesothelioma and asbestos related lung cancer will be assessed as being 100per cent.

Reduced earnings allowance

Reduced Earnings Allowance (REA) can be paid for accidents or diseases occurring before 1st October 1990.  

Retirement allowance

If you reach retirement age while you are receiving REA you can qualify to receive Retirement Allowance.  

How to claim

You can contact Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit on tel: 0800 121 8379.

Backdating

Claims can be backdated for up to three months if you satisfy the qualifying conditions over that period, except in cases of occupational deafness where no backdating is possible. You do not have to show any reasons why your claim was late. Request that your claim is backdated on the claim form.

How to challenge a decision

If you are unhappy with the decision on your claim, you have one month from its date to ask the DWP to reconsider it. If you are still not happy with the new decision you receive, you can appeal it to an independent tribunal. You have one month from the date the new decision was sent to you in which to lodge your appeal.

If you are a resident of County Durham, the Welfare Rights Service can give you advice on how to ask for a reconsideration or appeal, and we may also be able to represent you at an appeal hearing.