The level of your disability will affect the amount of benefit you may get. This will be assessed by a ‘medical adviser’ on a scale of 1 to 100%.

Usually you must be assessed as 14% disabled or more to get the benefit.

Visit the government website for an idea of the rates.

You cannot claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you were self-employed.

Accidents

You may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if:

• you were employed when the accident or event happened

• you were on an approved employment training scheme or course when the accident or event happened

• the work accident or event that caused your illness or disability happened in England, Scotland or Wales

There are some exceptions you can ask your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Centre about.

Diseases

You can claim IIDB if you were employed in a job or were on an approved employment training scheme or course that caused your disease. The scheme covers more than 70 diseases, including:

• asthma

• chronic bronchitis or emphysema - also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• deafness

• pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestosis)

• osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners

• prescribed disease A11 (previously known as vibration white finger)

• Dupuytren’s contracture

The scheme also covers asbestos related diseases including:

• pneumoconiosis (asbestosis)

• diffuse mesothelioma

• primary carcinoma of the lung with asbestosis

• primary carcinoma of the lung without asbestosis but where there has been extensive occupational exposure to asbestos in specified occupations

• unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening
  
  

You can get a full list of illnesses from your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit centre.

You’ll need to fill in and post a claim form.

The form comes with notes that:

• help you fill it in

• tell you where to send it

You’ll need to use a different form depending on whether you’re claiming for:

• accidents caused by work (form BI100A)

• diseases caused by work (form BI100PD)

Request a claim form by phone

You can also ask Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) Centre to send you a claim form.

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Telephone: 0800 121 8379

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 8379

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Alternative formats

Call to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.

Your claim will be assessed using the information provided in your claim form, or at a face to face medical assessment.

The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) will contact you if you need a face to face medical assessment. They’ll send you information about what to expect at the appointment. 

Read the guidance on how to attend your face to face assessment safely because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

You will not need to attend a face to face assessment if you’re terminally ill or you have any of the following diseases:

• diffuse mesothelioma

• angiosarcoma of the liver due to exposure to vinyl chloride monomer

• primary carcinoma of the bronchus or lung through exposure to arsenic

• primary carcinoma of the bronchus or lung through exposure to Nickel/Nickel compounds

• primary carcinoma of the lung where there is accompanying evidence of asbestosis

• primary carcinoma of the lung, through exposure to asbestos

• primary carcinoma of the lung, linked to tin and other specified chemicals or work with coke ovens

• primary carcinoma of the lung where there is accompanying silicosis

If you disagree with a decision

If you are not happy with the decision, you can challenge the decision by applying for a mandatory reconsideration.

You, or the person who claims on your behalf, must tell the office that deals with your payments about any changes to your circumstances or personal details. Let them know straight away if:

• the condition for which you’re getting the benefit improves, gets worse, or you were misdiagnosed

• you change your name or gender

• you get married or form a civil partnership

• you change your address

• you change your phone number

• you change your bank details

• you leave or intend to leave the country

• you go into prison or are held in custody

• your immigration status changes, if you’re not a British or Irish citizen

• you change the person who has authority to act on your behalf

• your condition was caused by service in the UK armed forces and you get compensation from the government
  
  

If you get Unemployability Supplement, you must also report if:

• you move in with a partner

• you go into hospital

• you start or stop work

• your annual earnings increase
  
  

There are different changes you need to report if you also get Reduced Earnings Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance.

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

How to report a change

Call the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) helpline or write to the Barnsley or Bradford IIDB Centre.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit helpline

Telephone: 0800 121 8379

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 8379

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Find out about call charges

Barnsley IIDB Centre

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

WV98 1SY

Bradford IIDB Centre

Mail Handling Site A

Wolverhampton

WV98 2EW

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

• did not report a change straight away

• gave wrong information

• were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.