What Financial Support Is Available if I Have a Disability or Long-Term Health Condition?

Living with a disability or long-term health condition can affect your finances in different ways.

You might have additional everyday costs.

You may be able to work but find some activities difficult.

Your condition might reduce how much you can work, or prevent you from working altogether.

There is no single “disability benefit” that covers every situation.

Different types of financial and practical support have different purposes and eligibility rules.

Start by thinking about how your condition affects you

It can help to separate three questions:

Does my condition affect my everyday activities or mobility?

Does my condition affect how much I can work?

Is my household income low enough that means-tested support might be available?

The answer could be yes to one, two or all three.

This matters because different benefits look at different things.

What is Personal Independence Payment (PIP)?

Personal Independence Payment, usually called PIP, can help with the extra costs associated with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.

PIP looks at how your condition affects particular daily living and mobility activities.

It is not simply awarded because you have a particular diagnosis.

Importantly, PIP is not means-tested.

You can potentially receive PIP if you:

are working
have savings
have other income
receive certain other benefits

This means you should not assume that having a job or money in the bank automatically prevents you from qualifying.

There is a separate MH360 PIP section explaining how PIP works in more detail.

What if my condition affects my ability to work?

If your health affects how much you can work, other benefits may also be relevant.

Depending on your circumstances, these could include:

Universal Credit

Universal Credit can provide help with living costs for people on a low income.

If your health condition or disability limits your ability to work, you can report this as part of your claim.

You may then go through a Work Capability Assessment.

Depending on the outcome, your work-related requirements can be affected and some people may qualify for an additional health-related amount.

The rules for this additional amount changed from April 2026, so current information is important.

New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

New Style ESA may be relevant if your health condition or disability affects how much you can work and you have sufficient National Insurance contributions.

It works differently from Universal Credit and is not based on household savings or a partner’s earnings in the same way.

If you are unsure which benefit applies, complete a wider benefits check or seek benefits advice.

Can I receive support even if I’m working?

Yes.

Working does not automatically mean disability-related support is unavailable.

For example, PIP can be received while working.

Universal Credit can also be paid to some people who work, depending on their earnings and household circumstances.

There is also practical support specifically designed to help some disabled people and people with health conditions remain in employment.

What is Access to Work?

Access to Work can provide practical support to help some people with a physical or mental health condition or disability get into or stay in work.

Depending on your needs, support can include help towards things such as:

specialist equipment or assistive software
support workers
communication support
additional travel-to-work costs where public transport cannot be used
adaptations associated with getting to work
some physical changes to the workplace
mental-health support connected with staying in work

Access to Work is separate from benefits such as PIP and Universal Credit.

If you are employed, eligibility for Access to Work is not determined by how much you earn or have in savings.

Access to Work also does not replace an employer’s responsibility to make reasonable adjustments where those are legally required.

What about help with housing costs?

If your household income is low, you may also need to check whether support is available with housing costs.

Depending on your circumstances, this might include help through Universal Credit or other housing-related support.

If you rent and the help you receive towards your housing costs does not cover your eligible rent, a Discretionary Housing Payment may be worth investigating in some circumstances.

There are separate MH360 guides covering rent and housing support.

Could I get help with Council Tax?

Possibly.

Council Tax support can depend on your income, household and local council’s scheme.

There is also a separate Disabled Band Reduction Scheme for some homes where a disabled person needs particular additional space or facilities because of their disability.

These are different forms of help.

Do not assume that receiving one automatically means you qualify for the other.

What if somebody cares for me?

If another person regularly provides substantial care for you, they may also have benefits worth checking.

Their possible entitlement will depend on matters including the support you receive, the care they provide and their own circumstances.

There is a separate MH360 guide about benefits and financial help for carers.

What if I’m over State Pension age?

Different disability benefits can apply depending on age and when a claim begins.

For many people making a new claim after reaching State Pension age, Attendance Allowance may be the relevant disability benefit rather than PIP.

Attendance Allowance has its own eligibility rules and is covered separately in this library.

It can also be worth checking wider later-life entitlement, including Pension Credit and Council Tax support.

A diagnosis does not tell you everything about entitlement

Two people with the same medical condition may be affected very differently.

This is particularly important with disability benefits.

Instead of only asking:

“Can somebody with my diagnosis claim?”

also ask:

“How does my condition affect me in everyday life, mobility or work?”

That is often the more useful starting point for understanding which support may be relevant.

Check the whole financial picture

It is easy to focus on one benefit.

But a disability or long-term health condition can potentially affect several parts of your finances.

A wider check might consider:

PIP or Attendance Allowance
Universal Credit
New Style ESA
housing support
Council Tax support
help connected with caring
workplace support
other benefits or financial assistance

Some benefits can be received together, while others interact.

A complete entitlement check can therefore be more useful than investigating each one in isolation.

Where should I start?

If you do not know which support applies to you, start with a free benefits check.

Gather information about:

your household income
savings
housing costs
existing benefits
employment
health condition or disability
how your condition affects everyday life
caring arrangements

MH360 Entitled can also help people explore benefits and financial support they may be missing.

You do not need to know the name of the benefit before asking for help.

Start with your circumstances.

7.9: What Benefits Might I Be Entitled To?

7.10: How Can I Check Whether I’m Missing Out on Benefits?

7.11: What Is Universal Credit?

7.13: What Help Is Available if I’m Too Ill to Work?

7.15: What Benefits and Financial Help Are Available for Carers?

7.18: What Is Personal Independence Payment (PIP)?

7.19: Can I Claim PIP if I’m Working?

7.20: Can I Get PIP if I Have Savings?

7.21: Can I Claim PIP for a Mental Health Condition?

7.27: What Is Attendance Allowance?

7.32: What Help Can I Get With Council Tax?

19.7: What Are Reasonable Adjustments and Where Can I Find Information?

Important information

This guide provides general information and is not intended to provide benefits, financial, employment, legal, medical or other professional advice. Benefit rules, eligibility criteria and support schemes can change, and individual circumstances can be different. Check current information from official sources or seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional before making important decisions.