Severe Disablement Allowance

Severe Disablement Allowance is being replaced with Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

If you’re already claiming Severe Disablement Allowance and you’re under State Pension age, you’ll be reassessed to see if you’re eligible to get ESA instead.

If you’ve reached State Pension age, you’ll continue to get Severe Disablement Allowance unless your circumstances change.

If you’re reassessed

Jobcentre Plus will send you a questionnaire. This will ask you how your illness or disability affects your ability to complete everyday tasks.

  1. Complete this questionnaire and return it by the deadline. Include original medical reports or letters that are relevant - you’ll get these back.

  2. Jobcentre Plus will tell you if you need a face-to-face Work Capability Assessment - you must go.

  3. If the reassessment shows you’re capable of working, your Severe Disablement Allowance will stop. Jobcentre Plus will discuss your next steps, including claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.

  4. If the reassessment shows you cannot work, you’ll be transferred automatically onto ESA.

Working and Severe Disablement Allowance

Your Severe Disablement Allowance is not usually affected if you:

  • do volunteer work
  • work for less than 16 hours a week on average and earn no more than £183.50 a week
  • work and earn no more than £183.50 a week, if your work is done as part of a treatment programme or is supervised by someone from a local council or voluntary organisation
  • work and earn no more than £183.50 a week and are exempt from personal capability assessment

This is called ‘permitted work’.

If your circumstances change

Tell the Jobcentre Plus office dealing with your claim if your circumstances change - this can affect how much you get.

You must also tell them if you start any kind of permitted work.

The benefit cap

The benefit cap limits the total amount of benefit you can get. It applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age.

Some individual benefits are not affected, but it may affect the total amount of benefit you get.

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