As a result, disability premiums for docs are up big-time: one big insurer is charging nearly 25 percent more than just last summer.

The implication for the client of finding a title to attendance allowance and the severe disability premium or invalid care allowance could be up to an extra £78.60 and is therefore an alternative option to residential care.

A brief calculation showed that if the client is entitled to severe disability premium he would be entitled to income support but could not sign a green form to give this initial advice or to act on the other matter.

If it becomes law the government will abolish the severe disability premium and the enhanced disability premium when it replaces the present benefits system with its flagship universal credit scheme in 2013.

Even those lucky enough to gain a disability premium will be in the same financial position a few years further down the line.

Many employers pay all of the long-term disability premiums.

You or your partner are long-term sick or disabled, and you are getting the disability or severe disability premium.

At this stage, a benefits checking service might reveal unclaimed benefits such as attendance allowance, which could attract a £33.70 severe disability premium.

My husband and I have Carer's Allownance and Income Support (with a disability premium for him and an allowance for me being a carer).

The Unum Corporation leads the field, with more than $1 billion in revenue from disability premiums in 1995, followed closely by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.