Incapacity Benefit Advice

saminamoses

Hi there,

I am currently receiving incapacity benefit, as I am unable to work due to my medical condition.

I have been told in the past that I am only entitled to recieve EITHER 'Incapacity Benefit' or 'Income Support (whichever pays more), but I have noticed on here that someone talks about them receving BOTH!

Im very confused, I struggle to live on my current benefit and obviously if i have been mis-informed about only being able to receive one or the other then I need to get this ammended ASAP

Would anyone be kind enough to let me know where I stand on this, am I entitled to both?

Replys would be greatly appricated.

Sam

cw18

If Incapacity Benefit pays less than you'd get were you on IS, then you can get a 'top up' to IS level.

We certainly did last year, and both DH and I were in receipt of IB. Jointly they came to more than a couple would get on IS, but IS would also help with the mortgage -- so we managed to get ISMI, which meant they had to give us 10p/week IS (ISMI only payable to those in receipt of IS), and this meant we also go Council Tax rebate and NHS excemptions.

Basically, you should NEVER be worse off than you would be on IS.......


(Not sure where you stand on the first 28 weeks of IB, though I would have thought the same held true -- you can but phone and ask. I was on middle rate having exhausted SSP, and DH is still on the highest rate)