Stopping work

Understandably, if you have to stop work because of your illness this can be a very stressful time. Financial worries can add to other concerns about your health and wellbeing.

Getting benefits

Depending on your circumstances you may be entitled to the following benefits:

• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Housing costs
• Council Tax benefit.

Incapacity Benefit and Income Support

You need to have worked and have made enough National Insurance (NI) contributions to get Incapacity Benefit. Income Support is paid to claimants who do not qualify for Incapacity Benefit, and whose income and capital is within the agreed limits.

To be entitled to these benefits on the grounds of illness you need to show that ‘by reason of some specific disease or bodily or mental disablement’ you are not able to do the work which ‘you could reasonably be expected to do’. In most cases you would have to produce a medical certificate from your doctor to show this.

Housing Benefit and housing costs

If you pay rent you may be able to get Housing Benefit. This benefit depends on your income and on your capital.

If you have a mortgage and you get Income Support, you may be able to get help with your mortgage interest payments.

Council Tax Benefit

If you pay council tax you may be able to get Council Tax Benefit: it depends on your income and on your capital.

How we can help

As you can see there are a variety of welfare benefits that you might be eligible for. If all this seems confusing don't worry: THT Direct has a team of trained advisors to help you find out what you are entitled to and how to get it.