Reduced Earnings Allowance
If you can't earn as much as you normally could because of an accident or disease caused by your work, you may be able to get Reduced Earnings Allowance (REA).
Who is eligible?
You may qualify for Reduced Earnings Allowance if you're suffering from an illness or disability caused by a work-related accident or disease that happened before 1 October 1990.
How much do you get?
57.44 per week is the maximum rate.
Your individual circumstances, for example whether or not you're working, can affect the amount you get. You'll need to contact your local Jobcentre Plus office for more details.
How it's paid
Reduced Earnings Allowance can be paid into your bank, building society, Post Office or National Savings account that accepts Direct Payments.
If you're blind or need someone who cares for you to collect your money, you'll be sent a cheque to cash at the Post Office.
- The difference between Direct Payment and 'direct payments'
Effect on benefits
The following benefits may be affected if you start to get Reduced Earnings Allowance:
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
You'll need to contact your local Jobcentre Plus office for more details.
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance (disabled people section)
- Housing Benefit
How to claim
It's important to claim straight away or you could lose the benefit. Ask your local Jobcentre Plus office for a claim form.
You'll need to prove your identity when making a claim. You'll also have to answer questions about your circumstances and background and provide official documents to support that information.
What to do if your circumstances change
Tell your local Jobcentre Plus office if your circumstances change, although in most cases this is unlikely to affect Reduced Earnings Allowance payments.
Changes that don't affect the payment include:
- going into hospital
- going into a nursing home or residential care
- starting voluntary work
If you leave the UK to live permanently outside the European Economic Area (EEA), you won't be able to get Reduced Earnings Allowance.
But if it's a temporary visit, you can usually claim for the first three months of your stay. This can be longer in special circumstance but you'll need to check with the International Pensions Centre to see if you qualify.
- International Pension Centre (pensions and retirement planning section)
What else you need to know
If you get more than 2 a week Reduced Earnings Allowance when you reach State Pension age (currently 60 for women and 65 for men) and you're not in regular employment, it'll be replaced by another benefit called Retirement Allowance.
There is another kind of benefit, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, for people who have become disabled as a result of an accident or disease at work.
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - accidents (disabled people section)
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - diseases and deafness (disabled people section)
For general advice you can call the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882 200 (8.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday, and 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturdays). Or textphone 0800 243 355
If you'd like more help with benefits, you can ring the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882 200 (textphone 0800 243 355). This is a confidential advice service for disabled people and their carers.
More useful links
- Guide to financial support for disabled people (disabled people section)
- Guide to financial support for carers (caring for someone section)
- Caring and your pension (caring for someone section)
- Council Tax Benefit
- New Deal for Disabled People (disabled people section)
- How to catch up if you've got little or no pension
This content is subject to Crown Copyright
- Source:
- DirectGov
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