Who can get Disablement Benefit
You can get Disablement Benefit if you were a paid employee, or a trainee on certain government-approved training schemes, at the time that you had your accident at work or contracted the industrial disease.
You must also be disabled because of the accident or disease. An assessment will be made on how your disability affects you.
The Department for Work and Pensions states the extent of your disablement as a percentage. You must usually be assessed as having at least 14% disablement to get benefit, although there are exceptions to this.
An examining doctor or other medical professional will assess you after you make your claim. Depending on the assessment, you can be paid Disablement Benefit for a fixed period or for life. The amount depends on your percentage disablement and your age.
You do not have to have paid national insurance contributions to receive Disablement Benefit. You can get it whether or not you have time off work. If you go into hospital, your disablement benefit will not be affected.