DISABILITY WORKING ALLOWANCE

What is it?

Disability Working Allowance (DWA) is a benefit to help people with an illness or disability who are starting work or are already working.

Basic qualifying conditions

To qualify for DWA you must -

• be working 16 hours or more per week on the date the claim is received either for an employer or self-employed. The job must be expected to last for 5 weeks or more;
• have an illness or disability which puts you at a disadvantage in getting a job. This will be because you are unable to perform one or more of a number of specified tasks of daily living or are in receipt of
• Disability Living Allowance (at the highest or middle rate of the care component or the higher rate of the mobility component), or
• Attendance Allowance, or
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit with Constant Attendance Allowance, or
• War Disablement Pension which includes a mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance, or
• use an invalid carriage or other vehicle provided by the DHSS

OR

• for one or more of the 56 days before the date of claim, you must have received one of the following qualifying benefits -
  • higher rate of Short-term Incapacity Benefit;
  • Long-term Incapacity Benefit;
  • Severe Disablement Allowance; or
  • Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (in certain circumstances);

OR

• on one or more of the 56 days immediately before the date of claim you must have been engaged in training for work and in one or more of the 56 days before the first day of training you were in receipt of one of the following -
  • higher rate of Short-term Incapacity Benefit;
  • Long-term Incapacity Benefit; or
  • Severe Disablement Allowance

There are provisions to prevent overlap with other income-related benefits.

DWA is only available if you are present and ordinarily resident in the Isle of Man.

How much could I get and how am I paid?

Click here for Rates. DWA is payable by weekly cheque which can be cashed at a Post Office or by direct credit into a bank or building society account.

DWA is normally awarded for either 4 or 12 weeks but can be awarded for 26 weeks in certain circumstances.

Payment is not normally affected by any change in circumstances during the period of award. Payslips or details from the employer are required.

How and when should I apply?

Use the claim form and return it to Disability Working Allowance Unit, Markwell House, Market Street, Douglas.

What else might I be able to claim?

Related benefits may include:

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Carer's Allowance
• Christmas Bonus
• Free prescriptions
• Free dental treatment
• Vouchers to help with the cost of glasses
• Free School Meals

For further information on DWA, please download the following documents -

Downloadable Documents
DWA3(IOM) - Disability Working Allowance Advice Notes (176 kb) Format: Acrobat PDF File This leaflet gives more information on qualifying for, and claiming Disability Working Allowance.
SD5 (IOM) - Benefits for people with mental health problems (598 kb) Format: Acrobat PDF File This leaflet gives guidance on the benefits which may be available to people with mental health problems.
Section 2 - Benefits and Contributions Information Guide. (49 kb) Format: Acrobat PDF File This is an excerpt from our guide which outlines the benefits available for people in work.

You will need Adobe Acrobat to download documents that are PDFs, this is available free by following this link:

DisabledGo Information

Terms & Conditions

©2008 Isle of Man Government