Working Tax Credit

If you are working for at least 30 hours a week you may qualify for Working Tax Credit (WTC) from HM Revenue & Customs to top up your earnings. If you are disabled, you may qualify if you work at least 16 hours per week. We do not go into the rules here but you can find out more from your local Citizens Advice Bureau or call the Tax Credits helpline on 0845 300 3900 (textphone 0845 300 3909). You can apply for WTC by filling in form TC600. Call the Tax Credits helpline to request a form.

If you have dependent children living with you, you may be entitled to Child Tax Credit. Call the Tax Credits helpline for more information.

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Industrial injuries benefit

If you are injured at work or develop a disease because of your work, you may be able to get an industrial injuries benefit. Industrial injuries benefits are tax-free.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is the main benefit that gives people compensation for getting an injury or disease caused by an industrial accident. The amount you will get depends on the degree of your disability and ranges from £28.72 to £143.60 a week. You have to be assessed at least 14 per cent disabled to receive Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit except in the case of a few specific diseases. There is no age limit to claiming an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

If you cannot do your usual job or other work with similar pay because of your accident or disease, you may be able to claim Reduced Earnings Allowance. Your accident or disease must have happened or developed before 1 October 1990. And you must be assessed as being at least one per cent disabled. You must be under pension age to get it. The maximum payment is £57.44 per week. Once you are over pension age (unless you are still in regular employment) you will be transferred on to Retirement Allowance, providing your Reduced Earnings Allowance is £2 or more. The maximum payment is £14.36 a week.

If your disablement arose due to work entirely before 5 July 1948, you will have to claim under a scheme called the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme. The scheme applies only to a limited list of industrial diseases. For more information you need to contact the Pneumoconiosis and Workmen’s Compensation scheme; contact details are in the Useful contacts section.

How to claim: Call the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00 (textphone 0800 24 33 55).

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War Pensions scheme

If you served in the Armed Forces or nursing and auxiliary services before 6 April 2005, you may be entitled to a pension for a disability or illness linked to that service,

If your hearing was damaged, you may find it very difficult to get a War Pension. If you are in this situation get advice from the Royal British Legion (its contact details are at the end of this section). You could also contact RNID and ask for a copy of its factsheet, War pensions and priority health treatment for veterans.
 
Apart from people in the Armed Forces, there are three other groups which may be able to claim a War Disablement Pension under The War Pensions scheme. To find out more details of these, contact the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency. Contact details are listed below.

The amount of War Pension you get depends on how severe your disability is; it is assessed on a percentage basis. People who are less than 20 per cent disabled normally get a lump sum. People who are assessed as over 20 per cent get paid a weekly pension. There are also a number of extra allowances and you may be able to get help with medical treatment and care. If your claim is because of a hearing loss, you need to be assessed as having at least a 20 per cent loss. To get 20 per cent, your average hearing loss must be 50 decibels (dB) or more in each ear. War Pensions are tax-free but they can affect other benefits. If your husband or wife died as a result of their service you may be able to get a War Widow(er)’s Pension.

If your disability or illness came about on or after the 6 April 2005, you need to claim uinder the Armed Foreces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). For information about the scheme, call the Service, Personnel and Veterans Agency on 0800 169 2277.

How to claim: Call the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency helpline on 0800 169 2277 (textphone 0800 169 3458) quoting your full name and National Insurance number); it full contact details are in the Useful Contacts section. If your claim is refused, there is a right to appeal.
The Royal British Legion will help you with a claim or appeal if you have a service connection; it's contact details are in the Useful Contact section.