Incapacity Benefit has been replaced by Employment and Support Allowance in October 2008.

All new claims on or after 31 January 2011 will  be treated as Employment and Support Allowance claims, with no linking back to previous claims for Incapacity Benefit.

Incapacity Benefit was paid to people of working age who had paid the relevant national insurance contributions in the relevant tax years.

All those claiming Incapacity Benefit and Income Support through incapacity will be transferred to Employment and Support Allowance between February 2011 and the end of March 2014.  Claimants will bew assessed using the work capability assessment.

This change won't  affect claimants who are due to reach State Pension age before 6 April 2014.