Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
You can claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if a job, training scheme or training course caused you to have a disease, including cancer, or an accident.
What is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?
You can claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if a job, training scheme or training course caused you to have 1 of the following:
- a disease, including cancer
- an accident.
Exposure to certain chemicals at work may cause lung cancer or mesothelioma (a type of cancer caused by the material asbestos).
You cannot usually get this benefit if you were self-employed when this happened. There may be some rare cases where you can claim, for example, if you were an agency worker. But it will depend on your contract when you were self-employed. Speak to a solicitor if you need advice.
To learn more about IIDB, visit:
- GOV.UK if you live in England, Scotland or Wales
- nidirect.gov.uk if you live in Northern Ireland.
Claiming for dust-related injuries including mesothelioma
There are also 3 lump sum payment schemes for people who have certain dust-related injuries, such as mesothelioma. These are:
- the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 (PWCA) – this is called the 1979 Act scheme
- Diffuse Mesothelioma Payments – this is called the 2008 scheme
- the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS).
If the mesothelioma was not caused through employment, you may still be able to get a payment. For example, this may have happened because you washed the clothing of someone who worked with asbestos, or you were self-employed.
The DMPS scheme applies if you have not been able to claim compensation because, for example, you cannot find an employer that exposed you to asbestos, or their insurers.
There are time limits for making a claim:
- Under the 1979 Act scheme, you must claim within 12 months of being awarded IIDB.
- Under the 2008 scheme, you must claim within 12 months of diagnosis.
- Under the DMPS, you must claim within 3 years of diagnosis.
How to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
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If you live in England, Scotland or Wales
You can download an application form at GOV.UK. You can also contact the Barnsley Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Centre and ask them to send you a form. Call 0800 121 8379 or use textphone 0800 169 0314.
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If you live in Northern Ireland
You can download an application form at NI Direct. You can also ask your local Social Security or Jobs and Benefits office for a form.
To learn more about mesothelioma, call our support line free on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm. Or visit Mesothelioma UK for details of local support groups.
For more information about mesothelioma payments, visit GOV.UK
Find out more about the benefits and financial support available for people living with cancer.
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About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our benefits information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at informationproductionteam@macmillan.org.uk
GOV.UK www.gov.uk [accessed May 2025].
NI Direct www.nidirect.gov.uk [accessed May 2025].
Social Security Scotland www.socialsecurity.gov.scot [accessed May 2025].
Macmillan Welfare Rights Team
Reviewer
Date reviewed
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