What is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and who can claim it?

Full answer

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is a long-standing, no-fault benefit scheme specifically for employees whose health has suffered because of their work, distinct from the general disability benefits available to the wider population. **Who can claim -- employees only** IIDB is only available to people who were employed (not self-employed) at the time of the accident or when they were exposed to the cause of an industrial disease -- self-employed workers are not covered by this specific scheme, though they may be able to claim other disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment based on their current care and mobility needs. **Two routes to qualify -- accident or prescribed disease** You can claim following a specific accident at work that causes disablement, or if you develop one of the more than 70 prescribed industrial diseases officially recognised as linked to particular occupations -- examples include certain types of occupational deafness (common in noisy industrial environments), pneumoconiosis and other lung conditions linked to dust exposure (such as coal mining), mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions, vibration white finger from prolonged use of vibrating tools, and certain repetitive strain-type conditions linked to specific occupational movements. **Assessment of disablement percentage** After claiming, you're assessed (often via a medical examination arranged by the DWP) and given a disablement percentage reflecting how much your ability to function has been affected by the accident or disease, compared with a healthy person of the same age and sex. You generally need an assessed disablement of at least 14% to receive any payment (though for some prescribed diseases the qualifying threshold is 20%), and the amount payable increases in line with a higher assessed percentage, paid on a sliding scale. **Tax-free and not means-tested** IIDB is both tax-free and not means-tested -- it isn't reduced because of your income, savings, or other benefits you receive, and you can generally receive it alongside other benefits like Personal Independence Payment, Universal Credit, or your wages if you're still able to work. **No fault needed** Unlike a personal injury claim against your employer (which requires proving negligence or a breach of duty), IIDB is a no-fault benefit -- you don't need to show your employer did anything wrong, only that the accident happened at work or that you were exposed to the cause of the prescribed disease during your employment. **Can be claimed alongside a compensation claim** If you also pursue a personal injury or industrial disease compensation claim against an employer (or their insurer), any IIDB you've received may be deducted from a compensation award under the Compensation Recovery Unit rules, to avoid double recovery for the same injury -- your solicitor should factor this into any settlement negotiation. **Reduced Earnings Allowance and Retirement Allowance** Some long-term claimants who were already receiving certain related payments before October 1990 may still be entitled to related payments such as Reduced Earnings Allowance, though this scheme is now closed to new claims and mainly relevant to older, existing claimants. **Practical tip** If you believe your condition might be linked to a prescribed industrial disease, don't assume you don't qualify just because your employer has since closed or changed hands -- claims can often still be made based on historic employment, so check the current list of prescribed diseases on gov.uk and consider claiming even years after leaving the relevant job.

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