Lupus Site - a guide for lupus patients and their families

For the latest information on benefits UK citizens may be entitled to, please follow the links below.

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Sick and Unable to Work

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• If you were working for an employer and earning enough to be relevant for National Insurance (NI) purposes (this is lower than the amount when you have to start paying NI contributions):
  check Statutory Sick Pay.
• If you were not working when your illness or disability started, you were self-employed, you work for an employer but cannot get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), or your SSP has now stopped, check Employment and Support Allowance (this link will take you to the Directgov website)
• You may also be able to get Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax benefit while you are sick and unable to work:
  
• check Council Tax Benefit (this link will take you to the Directgov website)
  if you pay rent to a private landlord
  check Housing Benefit (this link will take you to the Directgov website)
  in all other cases
  check Local Housing Allowance (this link will take you to the Directgov website)

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Long Term Ill and Disabled

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If you are aged under 65 and need help looking after yourself or getting around:
check Disability Living Allowance.

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About Disability Living Allowance

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You may get Disability Living Allowance if:

• you have a physical or mental disability, or both
• your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or you have walking difficulties, or both
• you are under 65 when you claim

You can get Disability Living Allowance whether or not you work.

It isn't usually affected by any savings or income you may have.

Disability Living Allowance has two parts called 'components':

• a care component - if you need help looking after yourself or supervision to keep you safe
• a mobility component - if you can't walk or need help getting around

Some people will be entitled to receive just one component; others may get both.

The care component and mobility component are paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you.

The claim form can be a bit daunting at first, but don't be put off by it. If you feel you need help filling in the form ask a friend, or get help from the CAB or Welfare Rights. As we all know, with lupus you can have good days & bad days, you will get the opportunity on the form to explain this.