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Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Weekly payments for people whose disability was caused by a workplace accident or a recognised industrial disease. Worth up to £228.80 a week at 100% disablement (April 2026), paid on top of any other income or benefits.

£1,507 – £11,898 per yearOfficial linksLast verified 29 April 2026

Who it helps

Anyone whose disability was caused by an accident at work, or who has a prescribed industrial disease (about 70 conditions including occupational deafness, asbestosis, mesothelioma, vibration white finger, and certain occupational cancers). Self-employed people are not covered — only employees.

The full picture

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is a non-means-tested weekly payment for people who became disabled because of: - An accident at work - An industrial disease prescribed in the regulations (around 70 conditions including occupational deafness, asbestos-related diseases, vibration white finger and certain cancers)

Payments are tiered by assessed percentage disability: - 100% disablement: £228.80/wk (£11,897/yr) - 90%: ~£205.92/wk - 80%: ~£183.04/wk - ...down to 14% (the minimum threshold for accidents; some prescribed diseases qualify at 1%)

The assessment is medical and binding. A DWP medical examiner assesses functional loss and assigns a disablement %. Awards can be reviewed if the condition worsens or improves.

IIDB does not replace lost earnings — it's compensation for the disability itself. You can keep working and still receive it. It also doesn't affect Universal Credit, PIP, AA or other disability benefits, although it does count as income for some means-tested benefits.

IIDB can also unlock additional payments: - **Constant Attendance Allowance** if you're 100% disabled and need daily care - **Reduced Earnings Allowance** (legacy, for accidents pre-1990) for older claims - **Industrial Death Benefit** for surviving spouses (legacy)

Worth knowing before you apply

  • Only for employees — self-employed people are not covered by the scheme
  • Two routes: workplace accident, or one of about 70 prescribed industrial diseases
  • Doesn't replace lost earnings — paid on top of any wages or other benefits
  • You don't have to prove employer fault — IIDB is no-fault compensation
  • 100% disablement: £228.80/wk in April 2026 (£11,897/yr); lower bands proportional
  • Awards can be reviewed if the condition worsens; contact DWP and request a medical reassessment
  • Constant Attendance Allowance can be added on top if you're 100% disabled and need daily care
  • You can claim alongside PIP, AA or DLA — they don't cancel each other out
  • Some claims can be made years after the event — there's no strict time limit, but evidence becomes harder to gather

How to claim

Apply on form BI100A (accident) or BI100PD (prescribed disease) from gov.uk/industrial-injuries-disablement-benefit. You'll need details of your employer at the time, the accident or exposure, medical evidence, and a current GP / consultant report. DWP arranges a medical examination. Decisions take 8-16 weeks. Backdating is automatic to the form date.

Apply for IIDB (nidirect)

Independent advice

More help is out there

If your situation is complex, these UK-wide charities and government services can give free, independent advice.

Last verified 29 April 2026
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