Pneumoconiosis: Grants

(asked on 28th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of including pneumoconiosis in the D1 category in assessments on miners’ ability to claim pneumoconiosis support grants.


Answered by
Justin Tomlinson Portrait
Justin Tomlinson
This question was answered on 3rd February 2021

Due to COVID-19, face-to-face assessments for all disability benefits including the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) have been suspended since March 2020.

We have continued to process IIDB claims and lump sum payments for those individuals with terminal illnesses, and those for Fast Track prescribed diseases. These claims have continued to be assessed as usual without the need for a face to face assessment.

Eligibility to the Pneumoconiosis Etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 (‘1979 Act’) is dependent on an individual having an IIDB assessment and their age at the time of this assessment. However, they will not be entitled to ‘1979 Act’ compensation payment if they have already had a payment from the Coal Workers Compensation Scheme.

We have now begun some paper based assessments for certain prescribed diseases. This allows a decision on such claims and will enable claimants to determine their eligibility to the ‘1979 Act’. At present the paper based approach includes claims for pneumoconiosis (D1) disease and miners with exposure to coal dust are potentially eligible for the ‘1979 Act’.

Assessing these cases on paper means that we can reduce the overall backlog and give some claimants the awards they are entitled to.

Disease number D1 covers pneumoconiosis which includes silicosis and asbestosis.

More information, including a list of diseases which are covered by IIDB and the kinds of jobs which are included can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-injuries-disablement-benefits-technical-guidance/industrial-injuries-disablement-benefits-technical-guidance#:~:text=Industrial%20Injuries%20Disablement%20Benefit%20is,a%20list%20of%20prescribed%20diseases.

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