ChatterBank1 min ago
Self-Employed Claiming Benefits
33 Answers
Not sure where to put this, but here goes. Can someone who has been self-employed all his life, but has now become seriously ill, claim benefits? He’s 52 and has paid his National Insurance contributions, but it’s doubtful he’ll ever be able to work again. He has no property and no savings.
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I have a friend in exactly the same situation - a self employed plumber with a broken neck who cannot use his arms.
He paid Class 2 NI and is entitled to nothing.
He parents are paying a years backdated Class 4 NI contributions for him which will enable him to start claiming ESA.
When your friend is a bit further down the line, if you need advice on DLA please ask me
I have a friend in exactly the same situation - a self employed plumber with a broken neck who cannot use his arms.
He paid Class 2 NI and is entitled to nothing.
He parents are paying a years backdated Class 4 NI contributions for him which will enable him to start claiming ESA.
When your friend is a bit further down the line, if you need advice on DLA please ask me
naomi this is very sad to hear but you wonder what good is being self-employed - I know a man a basic window cleaner (self employed) he was denied everything and he and his wife got it very hard. Sorry can't help you with any entitlement advice but I would say since he has no savings etc - he should get some financial help.
http:// www.hmr c.gov.u k/worki ng/intr o/class 4.htm
Class 4 National Insurance - how much you pay
The amount of Class 4 National Insurance contributions you have to pay for any tax year is based on your profits for that year. You pay 9 per cent on annual profits between £7,755 and £41,450 (2013-14) and 2 per cent on any profit over that amount.
http:// www.hmr c.gov.u k/ni/in tro/ben efits.h tm
The contributory benefits
National Insurance contributions count towards the following state benefits:
• the basic State Pension
• the additional State Pension, sometimes called the State Second Pension
• Jobseeker's Allowance - the 'contribution-based' element
• Employment and Support Allowance - the 'contribution-based' element
• Maternity Allowance
• bereavement benefits - Bereavement Allowance, Bereavement Payment and Widowed Parent's Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
Class 4 National Insurance - how much you pay
The amount of Class 4 National Insurance contributions you have to pay for any tax year is based on your profits for that year. You pay 9 per cent on annual profits between £7,755 and £41,450 (2013-14) and 2 per cent on any profit over that amount.
http://
The contributory benefits
National Insurance contributions count towards the following state benefits:
• the basic State Pension
• the additional State Pension, sometimes called the State Second Pension
• Jobseeker's Allowance - the 'contribution-based' element
• Employment and Support Allowance - the 'contribution-based' element
• Maternity Allowance
• bereavement benefits - Bereavement Allowance, Bereavement Payment and Widowed Parent's Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
He should be entitled to means tested benefits. ESA (unlike Incapacity Benefit, which it replaced) is available in a means tested form as well as a form based on NI Contributions. He should certainly be entitled to that. Also, I assume he rents a property & he should get some housing benefit & council tax support. All of this assumes he lives alone. If he has a wife/partner her income will be taken into account is deciding how much (if anything) he gets. If they have children he or his partner might get Child Tax Credit & possibly (if she works) working tax credit.
Depending on his level if disability he should also get DLA - which is not means tested.
Depending on his level if disability he should also get DLA - which is not means tested.
Class 2 Contributions do count toward ESA and State Pension, so I don't know why Mrs O is saying otherwise. As others have also said, he may qualify for the income related ESA too. If a person has a terminal condition (which means less than six months to live) they can claim the Highest Rate of DLA. They can claim DLA for help with personal care and/or mobility in addition to any ESA entitlement.