14 What benefits are available for people with disabilities?
The main disability benefits are Disability Living Allowance for people under 65 years of age and Attendance Allowance for people over 65 years of age.
If you are under 65, you can claim Disability Living Allowance for help with:
- mobility, if you have severe difficulties walking outdoors; and/or
- personal care, if you need help from another person in connection with bodily functions.
Bodily functions are things like bathing, eating, cooking, going to the toilet and getting out of bed. Things like shopping and housework do not count as bodily functions.
Attendance Allowance is for people over 65 and is the same as Disability Living Allowance except that you can't claim help for mobility problems or cooking.
If your claim for Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance is successful, then you may be eligible to claim more on your other existing benefits, or even claim new benefits.
Illness and disability are taken into account when working our how much Income Support, Tax Credits, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit you are entitled to.
You may also be able to claim Industrial Injuries Benefit if you became ill or disabled through a work-related accident or disease.
If you became ill or disabled through service in the armed forces, you may be able to get help from the War Pensions Scheme or the Armed Forces’ Compensation Scheme.
You can get Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Industrial Injuries Benefit and War Pensions/Armed Forces’ Compensation whether or not you are working, as long as you meet the conditions of entitlement.
If you cannot work, you may be able to get Incapacity Benefit. You usually have to have paid National Insurance contributions to get this, unless you have not been able to work from a young age. If you cannot get Incapacity Benefit, you may be able to get Income Support as someone who cannot work, depending on your income.
If you need help dealing with your disability-related benefits or any other aspect of welfare benefits, we recommend that you speak to one of our welfare benefit advisers on 08001 225 6653 for specialist advice. Telephone specialist advice is only available if you qualify for legal aid.