Care and support

How do I claim incapacity benefit?

If you were incapable of work before the introduction of employment and support allowance on 27th October 2008, you could claim incapacity benefit.

If you are not employed you should claim by calling your jobcentre plus contact centre on 0800 055 6688 or completing form SC1. There is a special form IB(Y)1 for those that satisfy the incapacity in youth rules (see above) and can either backdate a claim for IB(Y) or link back to a previous claim to enable you to claim IB(Y) rather than ESA(Y). You should make sure you make it clear that you are applying for this if you make a telephone claim.

If you are employed fill in form SSP1, which your employer should give you when your entitlement to statutory sick pay ends or if they think you are not entitled to statutory sick pay. You will also need to fill in an SC1 claim form.

All forms should be sent to your local jobcentre plus office with a medical certificate from your doctor. Continue to send in medical certificates until you are told that you can stop.

Work focused interviews

You will be allocated a personal adviser when you make a claim for incapacity benefit and may be obliged to attend a work focused interview as a condition of getting benefit. You will be given the opportunity to discuss your work prospects both when you first claim and also following on from a medical examination under the personal capability assessment.

You can ask for the interview to be ‘waived’ (cancelled) or ‘deferred’ (put off until another date) if it is considered that an interview would not be of assistance or appropriate for you.

If you have a partner s/he may also be required to take part in a work focused interview. However your partner will not have to attend if entitled to one of the following benefits in their own right: income support, income based JSA (but not joint claim JSA), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, carer’s allowance.