A weekly payment for people under State Pension age who cannot work because of illness or disability.
In order to claim it, it is necessary:
a) to be in a period of
incapacity for work (normally 4 consecutive days);
b) not to be getting
statutory sick pay (either because of no entitlement to it, or because it has ended);
c) to be assessed or treated as incapable of work;
d) either satisfy the rules for contributory Incapacity Benefit or non-contributory Incapacity Benefit.
Incapacity Benefit is paid at three weekly rates:
a) short-term (lower) IB is paid for the first 28 weeks;
b) short-term (higher) IB is paid from weeks 29 to 52;
c) long-term IB is paid from week 53.
