Apply for Incapacity Benefit

If you can't work because of illness or disability you may be able to get Incapacity Benefit (IB), a weekly payment for people under State Pension age.

From 27 October 2008, Employment and Support Allowance replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new customers only.

How to use this service

Use the links below to download and complete a claim form or contact the SSA for a claim form.

Claim Online

You cannot claim Incapacity Benefit online.

Download a form

Incapacity Benefit claim forms:

• Incapacity Benefit Form SC1 (PDF 381KB)
• Incapacity Benefit Form SC1 Notes (PDF 158KB)
• Incapacity Benefit for Young People Form IB(Y)1 (PDF 134KB)
• Incapacity Benefit for Young People form Notes (PDF 53KB)
• Help with PDF files
  

You make a claim by printing out a claim form and filling it in. When you have filled in the form you can either:

• post it to the office whose details are shown on the form, or
• hand it in at your nearest Social Security / Jobs and Benefits office
• Social Security / Jobs and Benefits office (contacts section)

Important: The date the claim form is received in a Social Security Agency office is the date we can consider payment from - not the date you downloaded the claim form.

Ask for a form

You can get Incapacity Benefits forms from the Social Security Agency.  Contact one of their offices.

• Incapacity Benefits Branch (contacts section)
• Social Security / Jobs and Benefits office (contacts section)
• Benefit Shop Castle Court (contacts section)

More useful links

• Incapacity Benefit (people with disabilities section)
• Financial support (people with disabilities section)  
• Employment (people with disabilities section)