Incapacity Benefit

Incapacity Benefit was a benefit you used to be able to claim if you were too unwell to work, but you can’t make a new claim for Incapacity Benefit anymore as Employment and Support Allowance has replaced it, but some people still get Incapacity Benefit. In 2011, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started to reassess everyone who gets Incapacity Benefit using the Employment and Support Allowance rules.

We can’t say exactly when the DWP will reassess you for ESA (or UC if you live in a full-service area) if you are still getting Incapacity Benefit, but the Jobcentre Plus helpline may be able to tell you. The DWP will contact you when they are going to review your Incapacity Benefit claim and you do not need to do anything before they contact you.