Getting financial support advice?

[acjb007]

I'm at a point now where I'm finding it hard to work full time as I get so tired and sometimes suffer confusion and anxiety. I have chronic liver disease and have been sober 4 years. My work don't know I used to drink but my constant lateness and forgetfulness has resulted in a disciplinary. If I lose my job can I claim disability benefits? Although I want to work I find I can't drive long distances and my current job is five minutes away. I really don't know what to do as I have a mortgage and bills to pay.

[Hidden]

Speak to work first and see if they can accommodate you somehow. Business should make 'reasonable' adjustments for people with medical problems and disabilities. Be upfront and see what happen. Reduced hours? Different task? More rest breaks? Etc

Go online and use the benefit calculator on the DWP website and it will tell you what you could be entitled to if work can't or won't accommodate you. You can change your work hours to see what difference that makes.

Hubby can't work and I work part time. we get housing benefit, a small amount of ESA and PIP. It helps otherwise we wouldn't survive.

It's tough but health comes first.

Good luck.

Xxx

[Hidden]

PS. Congrats for being sober for 4 years. You should be so proud of yourself. Xx

[RodeoJoe]

I was in the same situation a number of years ago. I quit my job before I got fired to avoid anything that might get passed on to future employers. I was very lucky and joined the family business temporarily as in reality was unemployable.

Now the problem you have is that as far as I'm aware and as unfair as it may seem I don't believe Cirrhosis is considered disabling with regards to benefits. Unfortunately I don't think you will qualify for any more than sick pay. So perhaps you should go for long term sick with your employer. Depending on your contract they will be obliged to pay you a certain amount for a period of time. When that runs out you will probably qualify for state sick pay which can be around £100 a week.

Because of my personal circumstances and my other half working that was all the benefits I got even after transplant when you're not allowed to work.

[LAJ123]

Being alcohol dependent in itself will not qualify you for a disability benefit but the resulting liver disease will.

The Equality Act 2010 (disability) Regulations -

A7. It is not necessary to consider how an impairment is caused, even

if the cause is a consequence of a condition which is excluded. For

example, liver disease as a result of alcohol dependency would count

as an impairment, although an addiction to alcohol itself is expressly

excluded from the scope of the definition of disability in the Act. What

it is important to consider is the effect of an impairment, not its cause

– provided that it is not an excluded condition. (See also paragraph

A12 (exclusions from the definition).)

Jim

gov.uk/government/uploads/s...

[Geffy22]

Aw I am so sorry to read this and just before Christmas too.

personally I'd tell work about liver disease but not the suspected cause - and see if you can work something out. Go see your doc and ask for sick or 'fit' note - fit note explains what you can do, so could help with work discussion. Sadly on benefit you don't get mortgage paid just the interest so you'd need to talk to the bank/ building soc.

Whichever route you take. Good luck xx

[Paulineunderstand]

There is a website called Martins moneysaving expert and they have a benefits checker that might help. Unfortunately I don't think that there is much help available for mortgages.

It's definitely worth making work aware that you have a chronic condition. This at least gives them a chance to do the right thing.

[Hidden]

Hi,

We have a list of institutions you could contact on our website and I have included a direct link to the page below

britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

The only two other places I can think of for you to direct your enquiry are detailed below.

gov.uk/pip

This is the government website and you will find advice on claiming Personal Independence Payments, it will guide you through the eligibility process.

You could also try contacting Citizens Advice Bureau, if you log onto their home page using the link below, you will then be able to search for your local branch.

citizensadvice.org.uk/

Hopefully these will give you somewhere to start from.

In addition if you feel you are experiencing more symptoms associated to your liver condition it would be advisable to discuss this with your GP and get a referral to a liver specialist for further assessment and help.

Warm wishes

Rebecca