Can You Claim Benefits If You Have Arthritis?
By
HuutiMoney
Suffering from arthritis may prevent individuals from performing optimally at their workplace, driving for long distances as well as basic household tasks. This is the reason why we will explore through this blog post to learn whether you can claim benefits if you have arthritis. We will discuss the benefits you may be able to claim along with their eligibility criteria and the payments you can expect to receive to help you with increased costs of living as a result of your health condition.
Can You Claim Benefits If You Have Arthritis?
Yes, you can claim benefits if you have arthritis; it becomes a disability for you and causes struggle with mobility at times.
If your health condition prevents you from performing daily activities without a struggle, you may qualify for disability benefits such as Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. You may also be able to claim a Blue Badge that allows you to park closer to where you need to get out of your car so that your struggle with mobility can be minimised.
Individuals suffering from arthritis may have varying conditions. Some people may be able to manage their everyday tasks despite their condition while others may struggle with moving around without any support.
If arthritis is preventing you from being mobile, taking care of your personal needs or performing routine tasks, your condition may qualify you for Disability Benefits.
According to Section 6 of the Equality Act 2010, an individual is faced with a disability under the following conditions:
- an individual is physically or mentally impaired
- the impact of the impairment is (a) substantial and (b) long-term for them to carry out everyday routine tasks
What Benefits Can You Claim If You Have Arthritis?
Benefits that you can claim due to arthritis include the following:
- Employment And Support Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
You can also claim Statutory Sick Pay from your employer if you are of working age and qualify to meet the eligibility criteria.
If you are eligible for Attendance Allowance, you may also qualify for a Council Tax Reduction, Housing Benefit and extra points on Pension Credit.
Meanwhile, claimants of PIP can further be eligible for the following:
- Blue Badge
- Vehicle tax discount or exemption
- Motability Scheme vehicle, if you get the higher mobility rate of PIP
In addition to this, if there is someone taking care of you and assisting you with routine tasks, they can claim Carer’s Allowance based on your PIP or Attendance Allowance claim.
In certain cases, individuals with a sustained health condition such as arthritis may be able to claim Universal Credit due to their limited capability for work.
How Much Can You Claim With ESA If You Have Arthritis?
The amount that you can claim through ESA will depend on your age, your condition and your ability to return to the workforce. Therefore, you can expect a weekly payment of up to £77.00 if you’re in the work-related activity group and up to £117.60 per week if you’re in the support group.
However, you should first meet the eligibility criteria for ESA; which include the following:
- you are under the State Pension age
- your health condition affects how much you can work
- you have been employed or self-employed in the past(you can be unemployed at the time of filing the claim)
- you have made the required amount of National Insurance contributions
- you are not claiming SSP or your payments have run out
- you are not receiving benefits payments through Jobseeker’s Allowance
- you work less than 16 hours per week
- your earnings are not more than £152 a week
You can contact your Job Centre or apply online to claim Employment and Support Allowance. Alternatively, you can contact the Jobcentre new claims helpline using the following means:
- Telephone: 0800 055 6688
- Textphone: 0800 328 1344
- Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 055 6688
How Much Can You Claim With PIP If You Have Arthritis?
Based on your condition, you can expect to claim PIP payments according to the following details;
- if you are claiming the Daily Living Part, you will be paid between £61.85 and £92.40
- if you are claiming Mobility Part, you will get between £24.45 and £64.50
Payments you receive after our claim is assessed and approved will be made every 4 weeks.
To be eligible for PIP, you should be able to meet these conditions:
- aged 16 years or above
- having a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- facing difficulty doing certain routine tasks or moving around
- the difficulties are expected to last for at least 12 months from the day they started
In addition to this, the claimant must be under State Pension age if they have not received PIP before.
You can claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) by contacting the Disability Service Centre or calling them on 0800 917 2222.
How Much Can You Claim With Attendance Allowance If You Have Arthritis?
The amount that you can claim for Attendance Allowance will vary as follows:
- you will receive the lower rate of £61.85 if you require frequent help or regular supervision during the day, or to be looked after at night
- you can claim the higher rate of £92.40 if you need supervision throughout the day and night
During your assessment for Attendance Allowance, you will be evaluated on the following grounds:
- whether or not you have a physical or a mental disability (including learning difficulties)
- the severity of your disability is such that you need help caring for yourself or you need someone to supervise you
- you have required support for at least 6 months
The DWP transfers payments for Attendance Allowance to your bank, credit union or building society account.
You can claim Attendance Allowance if you have arthritis by filling out the Attendance Allowance claim form online or in writing and sending it to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance vis post.
How Much Can You Claim With Statutory Sick Pay If You Have Arthritis?
You can claim £99.35 a week for up to 28 weeks as Statutory Sick Pay if you meet the eligibility criteria and inform your employer according to the deadline set by them.
This is the minimum amount that emplores must pay their employees if they qualify for SSP. Any amount below this will not be acceptable. On the other hand, some employees choose to pay a higher amount; which they can do at their discretion.
If you have arthritis and it prevents you from performing job-related tasks efficiently (or you are unable to perform them at all), you must qualify for the claim based on the following criteria:
- you are classed as an employee (and not a worker) and have performed work-related tasks for your employer
- your average weekly earnings are at least £123 per week
- you have been sick for a minimum of 4 consecutive days (this includes non-working days)
Conclusion:
The above discussion has highlighted how arthritis can affect your everyday life and prevent you from performing routine tasks without assistance. This is the main reason why people with a severe condition of arthritis especially those who need assistance in their daily lives can claim welfare benefits to provide financial support with increased costs of living. The key benefits that one can claim include Employment and Support Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment.
FAQs: Can You Claim Benefits If You Have Arthritis?
Is arthritis classed as a disability?
Arthritis cannot be classed as a disability automatically. According to the Equality Act 2010, if the conditions resulting from a health condition (arthritis in this case) persist for at least a year and prevent the individual from performing routine tasks without support, it can then be classed as a disability.
Does arthritis entitle you to PIP?
Arthritis can entitle you to PIP if you are facing difficulty doing certain routine tasks or moving around and the difficulties are expected to last for at least 12 months from the day they started.
Can you get a Blue Badge for arthritis?
Yes, you can get a Blue Badge for arthritis if you are challenged with mobility, claiming Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance and need to park closer to your destination.
What conditions automatically qualify you for PIP?
The conditions that automatically qualify you for PIP include the following:
- you are aged 16 years or above
- you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- you face difficulty doing certain routine tasks or moving around
- the difficulties you face are expected to last for at least 12 months from the day they started
Is arthritis a chronic disease?
Yes, arthritis is a chronic disease and is also considered a common cause of disability in the elderly.
References:
Arthritis and Disability Benefits
Financial support for people with arthritis | Benefits, loans and pensions
Information and Support on Arthritis | Age UK
How to claim PIP if you have arthritis or joint pain and get up to £151 a week from DWP