Reply To: Disabled allowance

Hi Dan,

Depending on your household income and your savings, you could get Universal Credit. Your partner could get an extra amount based on her disability – but this can take a long time to get. She’ll need to take a work capability assessment. In normal times, it takes up to six months to get the appointment – now, it’ll take even longer. If she is then eligible for the extra allowance, it gets backdated and paid as a lump sum. She could also be eligible for Personal Independent Payment, which isn’t means-tested. (So it doesn’t matter if you or both of you are working, or have savings). Again, it’ll take a long time to get this sorted.

If she can’t work because of her health due to coronavirus – so it’s a short-term problem rather than a permanent or long-term disability – she won’t get that allowance. It’s only for people who can’t work or have a severely limited capability for work. She’ll need to apply for the Employment and Support Allowance element if it’s a short-term problem like coronavirus, which is like sick pay.