Merry xmas and I hope you’re all resting after yesterday! I need some advice. I have been off work since mid October with a very active progression. I’m SPMS dx’d in 2000. I have worked full time but this latest episode has made it impossible for me to walk more than a few feet at a time and I need to use a rollator to acheive that. There is no way I can return to work, I work on the 1st floor and could not manage the stairs (no lift). Access to Work can’t help until I have a positive date to return to work as I have to be there for the assessment. I’m signed off until second week in January and am positive this will have to be extended. I’m now on Stat sick and don’t think I’ll be able to return to work. What do I do know? Do I need to get ill health retirement and how do I go about it. I will need to claim help which is something I know nothing about so any advice would be appreciated. Steroids have not helped this time. I’m taking Baclofen but getting complete rigidity in right hand leg. Everyone’s great on the medical side but need advice on the financial side.
Hello Linda
Give your local Citizens advice a ring, they will be able to give you the correct benefit advice for your needs.
Do you have a personnel department? I worked for the NHS.
Its a case of carrying on sending in your fit/sick notes (not sure what there called now). I stayed on sick for about year before deciding to leave. Then I claimed incapacity benefit, which is now called ESA. I also now claim disability living allowance. I was a nurse and didn’t really want to give my career up.
I’m sure once you speak to citizens advice, things will be a bit clearer for you.
All the best to you, I know this is a stressful time.
xxx
good advice from Blossom. Don’t assume you’ll get things given you on a plate, you may have to fight to get the right benfit, pension etc. You’re priority is to look after number one and be prepared to be assertive.
Thanks for your replies and support Blossom and Zetland. Unfortunately I don’t have a personnel department as I work for a very small firm (only 7 of us). It had occurred to me that this is not going to be easy and it’s all new to my firm, they have never been in this position . I’m now 50 and have worked every day since I was 16 so this whole situation is new to me and I can see I am going to have to be assertive. Not looking forward to any of it. My symptoms seem to be progressing rapidly and mobility is virtually non existent (a great deal of effort is needed just to stay upright). I suppose I had 15 fair years and this was going to kick in big time sooner or later, I just didn’t expect it to be this rapid or severe ,the only place I feel totally safe is in bed, which is really not like me.
Hi Linda
When you are starting on the road through benefits it’s a good idea to be as knowledgeable as you can>
Here is a brief overview.
Statutory Sick Pay – is payable for up to 6 months if you get fit notes from your GP. Depending on your contract of employment your employer will make up SSP to full pay for a time and perhaps then half pay. The larger your employer the longer these time scale are likely to be (I worked for a local authority and had 6 months on full pay and 6 months on half pay but a small employer may make up your pay for as little as a couple of weeks – it will be in your contract.) When your period of SSP approaches the end and you are still sick your employer should send you form SSP1. This form allows you to claim Employment Support Allowance.
It is around this time (when SSP ends) that most employers require some sort of meeting to discuss the future. Clearly they cannot hold your job open indefinitely and this is often the point that discussions are held to decide if you are actually coming back to work or if your contract has been frustrated because you are not able to do the job you were employed to do. The larger the company the more options there will be. A large organization might be able to offer another role within the organization or make substantial adaptations to allow you to continue. It is worth noting that your employer is not obliged to make big changes but they must consider any reasonable adjustments that would allow you to continue. They cannot dismiss you because you are disabled but you can be dismissed if your disability means you can’t do your job even with reasonable adjustments.
Ill health retirement is only applicable to an occupational pension (you get your state pension at retirement age irrespective of your earlier employment status) I wonder if you have a works pension with your employer being so small.
Have you applied for Personal Independence Payment (formerly DLA)? You can do this straight away – because you can claim this even if you work (0800 917 2222) The next step will be an application for ESA. This is a very complex benefit and I would advise joining the Benefits and Work website (about £20.00) for help with this.
Other benefits that you might be entitled to are dependant on money coming into the household so if you have a working partner or savings (over £12,000) you will probably not be able to claim these.
Please feel fee to PM me if I can help you more – I don’t have all the answers but can usually point you in the right direction.
Jane
Thanks Jane, very helpful. I got a full month’s pay in October and November but am now getting SSP. This is a very daunting position to be in because I actually enjoy my job but I know this disease has actually caught up with me. and I can no longer type (legal sec). I will take you up on your offer of a PM. Please bear with me, nothing happens quickly in my world due to this illness!
Hi Linda, Jane has given you good advice. She is very knowledgable and helpful too.
Just sending you my support too. I had to take ill health retirement in 2000. I was 47 then and had a job i loved, but could no longer do.
Good luck with the future hun.
luv Pollx
Can you not ask for speech activated software so you can continue with your job? Just a thought!
Have a look at this on Google:
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 Home
Good luck getting things sorted. xx
hi linda
could you do some work from home for your employer?
together with the software suggested by stitch, this might be an option to discuss with work.
good luck
carole x