Could use some advice, as needing to think about my wellbeing and ill health retirement since recently getting diagnosed with NASH-related cirrhosis but with a raft of other issues.
To give an overview, I have been struggling with work since January 2021 when contracting severe Covid-19 when hospitalised. I was off sick for over 3 months as it had impacted on my other existing conditions of depression, gout and osteoarthritis. I was much bed-bound for several weeks but was off for three months. When I felt a bit better, I tried to return to work on a slow phased return as still had symptoms of fatigue and breathlessness and mobility was limited. I pushed myself to get back to work as feel it is meaningful. I then relapsed after getting the second vaccination in Nov 2021. I then had to be off for several months returning in May 2022. As I was still struggling with the long covid but was still getting quite fatigued so pretty much crashing out after work every day. So, I looked for a new job which I thought would be less demanding and started in September 2021 and have found it just as difficult as still quite fatigued and easily exhausted as well as the continuing issues with arthritis and currently having a flare of gout, which is very painful.
I do feel that cirrhosis of the liver diagnosis might be part of in my problems with fatigue and could have been exacerbated by the severe covid. I feel I cannot continue to push myself, being I have worked hard all my life, starting with paper round at 9, then milk round when 11 and then paying tax and NI when at McDonald’s at 17. I am 60 and already paid full NI contributions (43 years) and will be lucky to get much access to the state pension.
I may have stitched myself up, as when changing jobs, I thought I would try and take pressure off myself as was doing social work and so when I left my LGPS pension became deferred so may lose up on any uplifts if able to retire on ill health, but it is not straight forward as have a new pension with new job and can transfer it but they won’t allow me to transfer into their LGPS as I am considered a teacher so started the Teachers Pension Scheme and therefore could transfer the deferred LGPS pension to the Teachers Pension. So, I am in an unusual situation where it seems I may lose out, as left my previous job 4 months ago, and have a year to transfer but this might be contentious due to me being unwell.
I have tried getting advice from the Pension Advisory service, and my union legal team but they are all unhelpful. I even tried contacting an Independent Financial Advisor but they are not fully knowledgeable about defined benefits schemes and only really want to take your money. I was a bookie for over 13 years, as such a turf accountant.
I am in process of following up with both pension teams but not completely trusting of them.
Does anyone have any experience/advice please?
ILL all the time 
Transplant assessment
Transplant. Illness. Feeling Ok. 
The dreaded liver illness.
Feeling fed up of feeling ill 
