Who qualifies for incapacity benefit?

You may be able to claim Incapacity Benefit if any of the following apply to you:

• Your Statutory Sick Pay has ended, or you cannot get it

• you are self employed or unemployed

• you have been getting Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and have not gone back to work for your employer because you are incapable of work

• you were under State Pension age when you became sick

You must also have been:

• paying National Insurance Contributions

• unable to work because of sickness or disability for at least four days in a row (including weekends and public holidays)

• unable to work for two or more days out of seven consecutive days

• getting special medical treatment

Or you must:

• Be aged between 16 and 20 (under 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20)

• Have been too ill to work due of sickness or disability for at least 28 weeks

• Have been too ill to work before you turned 20 (or 25 if you were in education or training at least three months immediately before turning 20)