Benefits

[Holidaymad22]

Hi,

If my husband has to give up his job would we be entitled to any benefit, we still have a small mortgage and I work 22 hrs a week, we are based in the UK

[AyrshireK]

You could enquire about the employment and support allowance part of Universal Credit plus Personal Independence Payment and if hubby gets an award of that you may possibly be able to claim carers allowance. A visit to Citizen's Advice Bureau or even your local council welfare rights/income maximization team may examine all your circumstances and advise on what you could apply for.

My hubby has cirrhosis, unable to work due to fatigue, HE and just physically no longer being able to do the only job he's known (welder in heavy engineering). He qualified for ESA - Support Group, PIP - Enhanced daily living, basic rate mobility and I get carers allowance.

It can be an arduous process to claim but get help from CAB or similar.

Best wishes, Katie

[Holidaymad22 in reply to AyrshireK]

thank you

[AyrshireK in reply to Holidaymad22]

Also just a though but I don't know how it all works (we are in social housing). I take it you have insurance for your mortgage - any chance it will kick in for critical illness and get you at least mortgage free.

[Holidaymad22 in reply to AyrshireK]

I hadn’t even given that a thought I’ll look into it thank you

[Ruby1960 in reply to AyrshireK]

that’s good advice regarding the insurance. I have just been paid out on mine. It wasn’t easy, I had to be assessed by an independent medical person. What I did find out though is that if your illness has been caused by your lifestyle ( alcohol or drugs) they will not pay.

[Bantam2 in reply to Ruby1960]

re the critical illness. My critical illness would not pay out and I complained about the wording as it quite clearly said “ if put on list for a major organ transplant” I was covered. It was not clear in the terms and conditions and I was paid out. Similarly I was paid out on another policy that was 20 years old as at the time of taking the policy the question of how much you drunk was not covered. If they reject your claim and there is any ambiguity or wording not crystal clear then challenge- nothing to lose. I was paid out in full for both policies but do know a friend with a completely separate condition that challenged and they came to an agreement. Hope all goes ok

[wp69]

I don't think you will get anything , my friend who has a serious illness gets nothing as his wife is employed , I get nothing because I have 3 properties and classed as a second home owner , even though ive paid into the system since I was 16 , disgraceful .

[AyrshireK in reply to wp69]

I am self-employed and have to prove income, expenditure and hours worked. We still get carers allowance and hubby gets PIP (not means tested). Hubby also qualified and received ESA at highest rate though currently just got his NI being paid as we got an inheritance that took us over savings threshold.

[Skyp]

Hi holidaymad22There is a website called entitled to. If you put in the information it asks for it will tell you if and what help you could get. Or go to citizens advice 👍

[Holidaymad22 in reply to Skyp]

thank you

[Nip1]

It's worth looking at the Entitled To website, it will work out what you can or can't claim for and also gives you a rough estimate of what you would receive. I myself was on low rate Universal Credit when I got diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis and after looking into my entitlements and getting a work assessment I was awarded LCWRA. Also CAB should give you a better insight on any claims you could get. Hope this helps and all the best.

[Holidaymad22 in reply to Nip1]

thank you

[Jetcat]

If you’ve worked hard all your life and got up every day come rain or shine and managed to even save a little then I’d say no.! Get some proper advice though don’t just go on my negative views.! My negativity comes from my elderly mother’s situation, then recently my brother’s situation and neither can get any help whatsoever.!! But yet my brother in law 60yrs, who’s never worked at all knows just what to write on the forms and knows exactly how to act out a great Grammy award winning interview is entitled to claim numerous benefits which he takes with great gusto. In his words ( it’s happy days)

[Lils2019]

Hi,

I worked full time, my husband claimed pip, and I claimed UC, joint claim, never claimed for his limited capability for work, due to the fact he had just undergone a very stressful pip assessment and then we ended up at tribunal, and I didn’t want to put him through another face to face assessment, his mental health wasn’t good and it’s very stressful, it was only a small amount of UC due the fact I was working and obviously I wasn’t entitled to carers.

PIP - you can work whilst claiming this, however they do use working against you, they did it to my son, however I challenged the decision and was quite prepared to take it to tribunal, however they did look again at his claim and awarded on both components.

My advice would be to claim anyway, they can only refuse, then you can appeal it, and I always advise to appeal, the system is broken, and nearly 80% of PIP claims are overturned at tribunal.

[Holidaymad22 in reply to Lils2019]

thank you it’s all so stressful I’ve heard they always turn you down first time

[AyrshireK in reply to Holidaymad22]

It depends on the strength of evidence, we had to take hubbies first PIP claim to tribunal after a zero points face to face assessment. He got ESA with no medical.

I use the member guides on the Benefits and Work website to complete all forms now and all have subsequently been renewed without assessment.

You MUST submit all medical reports, discharge letters etc. and if consultant is willing a letter off them.

Katie

[Readlots]

gov.uk/benefits-calculators - the Turn-to-us one is excellent and easy to use. As Katie suggested, Citizens Advice are excellent at supporting with benefit claims. Contact them early because they get very busy.

[Bumpity]

Firstly, look at your husbands contract of employment, he may be entitled to up to a year of sick pay often 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. Or, depending on age he might be entitled to a medical retirement. But, definitely check that out before thinking of applying for benefits as the system often does not pay out if you leave your job willingly.

If you are hoping for benefits it might be best to get his GP (if willing) to sign him off as unable to work through bad health then claim sick pay from his employer/early retirement/ESA. With ESA at first he will probably have to provide regular certificates from the GP but it will lead to a time where he just has a form to fill out to state he is still unable to work. Once on ESA he may be entitled to other benefits such as Council Tax benefit, Universal Credit perhaps it will all depend on your savings and any income, investments etc.,

Mortgage help is often available depending on circumstances but rarely kicks in as soon as employment stops. They also only pay out the amount of interest each month not the full sum so you will need to top up any payments. Also, if your mortgage insurance agrees to pay out, make sure they agree to pay 12 monthly payments not a lump sum as any mortgage benefits will not pay until the 12 months are up.

Once husband begins to claim, he will be expected to see an advisor who firstly, will want to see if he is able to return to any kind of work and secondly, they will advise on any other entitlement available, don't worry when the letter inviting him to attend arrives, they are sent to everyone..

This looked quite useful for advice: moneyhelper.org.uk/en/benef...

[Holidaymad22 in reply to Bumpity]

thank you so much

[Tomato-grower]

For anyone trying to claim PIP, it’s not the illness itself it is how it affects your activities of daily living.

For instance the cooking test - given the raw ingredients can you prepare a simple main meal for yourself. They mean cooking a meal on a stove top, imagine having some sausages to fry and potatoes and carrots to prepare and cook, think about how you would do that, what difficulties do you face.

There is a website called pip.info which shows all the “descriptors” and what points are awarded depending on the level of need.

At the end of the descriptor is a section on case law which is really useful.

[Holidaymad22]

thank you