Illness and disabilities

Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance (AA) is a benefit for persons aged 65 or over who are severely disabled (mentally or physically) requiring frequent care and attention from others with certain basic daily living needs or are terminally ill.

Disabled Parking Blue Badges are issued to people who are disabled or find extreme difficulty in walking long distances, to enable them to park the vehicle in which they are travelling more conveniently.

Carer's Allowance

Carer's Allowance (CA) is payable to someone caring for a severely disabled person. The disabled person must receive Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance; or the highest or middle rate care component of Disability Living Allowance.

Car tax exemption

A disabled person receiving the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance or a mobility premium as part of their Income Support and who is the registered keeper of a motor vehicle may be able to obtain exemption from paying vehicle licence duty.

Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance is paid to you if you become disabled or terminally ill before the age of 65. (If you become disabled after your 65th birthday you should claim Attendance Allowance.)

Incapacity Benefit

Incapacity Benefit (IB) is a contributory benefit which gives financial assistance to people who become sick and are unable to work.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is payable to someone who has suffered a loss of faculty because of an accident at work or a prescribed disease caused by their work.

Motability

Motability Finance is a voluntary organisation which helps people receiving the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance buy, lease or hire a car, or powered wheelchair.

Severe Disablement Allowance

Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) was payable to customers who had not paid sufficient National Insurance contributions to qualify for Incapacity Benefit after they had been incapable of work for 28 weeks, but was abolished for all new claims from 9 April 2001.

If you were in receipt of SDA prior to 9 April 2001 you will continue to receive the benefit for as long as this incapacity continues or you reach pension age.

Vaccine Damage Payments

A Vaccine Damage Payment is a one off payment for people who are severely disabled due to a vaccination against specific diseases.