Racing industry accident benefit scheme

Racing staff who are off work as a result of accidental injury arising out of and whilst carrying out duties for a licensed trainer, including bone fide journeys between normal place of residence and place of work, shall receive from their employer their usual weekly wage pro rata for a period of one month’s injury absence in any one year including the first three days of absence.

A claim for benefit should be made as soon as possible to the Racing Industry Accident Benefit Scheme (RIABS) within three months of the accident. The scheme does not cover race riding accidents or accidents which occur whilst on or travelling to and from a racecourse when engaged to ride (in this instance refer to the Professional Riders Insurance Scheme (PRIS) tel. 01935 891974 info@pris.org.uk (PRIS contact details updated 1st December 2017)).

Paid full or part-time racing staff of licensed and permitted trainers who are aged between 16 and 65 years and registered with the British Horseracing Authority will have deducted £4.00 from their net wage per week of employment as a contribution to RIABS. For trainees at the BRS or the NRC who were pre-employed by a trainer, the trainer will pay both the trainer’s and employee’s RIABS premium whilst the employee is attending the BRS or NRC.

Injury benefit is payable for a maximum period of up to 104 weeks from the established date of the accident, if the accident has been declared by the claimant’s employer. The amount of benefit (subject to an overall maximum of £400 per week) is the difference between the claimant’s pre-accident net wage and all statutory benefits receivable by the claimant as a result of the accident. RIABS claim forms must be submitted within three months of the date of the accident giving rise to the claim.

In the event of death, partial disability or being permanently and totally disabled (from working in or any other occupation), the benefits as set out in the RIABS scale of benefits will be paid up to £154,500. The cover is extended to include dental expenses to a limit of £5,000 arising out of accidental injury to sound, natural teeth as a direct consequence of duties involving horses.