FACTSHEET 4

Benefits

There are two general kinds of benefit that may be available to deafened people: those available under the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), and those under the local authority (unitary, district, city or borough council).

The JobCentre Plus website has details of benefits available to people with disabilities Your local Jobcentre Plus should be able to advise.

Jobcentre Plus

All national applications for benefit from people of working age are handled by the local office of Jobcentre Plus. Look in the Business Pages of the telephone directory under “Jobcentre Plus” to find the office nearest to your home. You can call the Benefit Advisory Line on 0800 882200 (voice) or 0800 24 33 55 (text). The Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) at Jobcentre Plus will be able to give information about benefits which might be available if you become unemployed as a result of your deafness.

Disability Living Allowance

This is a tax-free Social Security benefit for people aged up to 65 with an illness or disability who need help with getting around and/or help with personal care. Many deafened people have successfully claimed the care component although deafness, in the absence of any other disability, is unlikely to justify the mobility component. It does not normally need a medical examination and is not usually affected by the savings you have any money you have coming in.

To claim it, you have to fill an infamous form that stretches to more than 20 pages. The form can be obtained from Jobcentre Plus local offices and must be returned within a set number of days of its collection. Advice is available from RNID on filling the form in and conducting subsequent appeals. It is not unusual for deafened people to be turned down when they apply but then be successful at appeal.

Incapacity Benefit

Paid to those of working age who are shown to be incapable of work. It is a contributory benefit, i.e. you need to have been paying National Insurance contributions in order to obtain it, although there are alternatives for people who do not have sufficient contributions. It is paid as long as you remain unfit for work, up to state retirement age, and is taxed. All claimants, apart from those who fall into special categories, will have to take the all work test. This test involves filling in a questionnaire and may include a medical test. Your doctor will be required to supply a statement. Being deafened, on its own, is unlikely to justify incapacity, although it may be a contributory factor, alongside other disabilities, in rendering somebody unfit for work.

Pensions

If you are a member of a public sector or company pension scheme, you may be entitled to take your benefits early should your deafness cause you to retire. The amounts payable may however be significantly reduced reflecting the shorter time you had been a member and earlier age at retirement. Scheme benefits vary widely and are defined in the scheme documentation and statements provided to you. In addition to consulting these you should ask your employer or the scheme trustees to provide specific information on your position.

If you have been paying into a private pension arrangement, the position on early retirement will be defined in the scheme documentation and you should ask the company managing the arrangement, or the broker who set it up, to provide you with specific information.

Where options exist for money to be transferred from any scheme or arrangement, e.g. to set up your pension with another company, or if you need additional advice, you should consult an Independent Financial Adviser who will identify the best deal available for you.

Local Authority Benefits

These benefits may be available automatically as a result of being on Income Support or they can be applied for separately. Details may be obtained from the Citizens' Advice Bureau or from the Local Authority.

N.B. The information in this factsheet is given in good faith but NADP cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or injury resulting from its use.

NADP, PO Box 50, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6XB
E-mail: enquiries@nadp.org.uk
www.nadp.org.uk

Updated August 2007

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