Confused About Benefits

BillieTheBot

I am currently not earning anything and finding a job is nearly impossible. (unless of course I want to spend most of the evening working) and so I went down to the job centre today to talk to someone. I mentioned something about how I may not be able to work due to my current health problems. (both physical & mental stuff) The person I was talking was going on about income support and incapacity benefit, but I thought that in order to get IB, you had to have NI contributions, which I don't have?

Also, she said that I'd need a sick note from the doctor to say that I can't work. However, I've only seen him about my mental problems once and he basically couldn't tell me what was wrong and said that because he doesn't quite know what's wrong with/why I am the way I am, he's going to refer me to a pyschiatrist. Am I able to get a sick note from a psychiatrist or can I only get one from the doctor?

Former Member

If you're under the age of 20 then you don't need NI contributions to go on Incap, but after that you do.

You could be entitled to income support based on incapacity, which would be about £44 per week for you, and would give you other benefits such as free prescriptions. You would need to show that you can't work, with sick notes, but your doctor should be able to provide these if he's referred you on to a therapist.

Make an application, and see what happens.

Former Member

Now it makes sense, thank you.