Retirement through ill health

[margie1]

Hi my employer offered to retire me on ill health but i refused as i wanted to get back to normality (sure you will understand) since being on holiday i have realised that i am just struggling at work and not helping myself, i am considering asking my employer if the offer is still there for me to finish, i am not sure how i would stand financially if i would be entitled to any benefits etc i have been on the internet but it all goes over my head too much to understand. Does anyone have any advice please?

[Hidden]

It will depend on how large (and generous) your employer is. On the face of it, at one end of the spectrum, being retired through medical grounds need be no more than being dismissed for medical reasons; at the other end, some employers enhance your terms of leaving with a pension / lump sum.

If there is a personnel /HR department, you could ask them for advice. If you have a fairly long period of service and are in a pension scheme, there may be the possibility of giving you a few more years' pension entitlement, and that might be to your advantage. The pension scheme may have provisions in it for ill health retirement.

If you are registered as disabled, this might have an effect, but I suspect that this is unlikely.

You might like to spend some time thinking about what arrangement you would ideally like, and what your real priorities are. Would you like to go part time with an understanding that, at some time in the future, the arrangement could be reviewed and you might extend your hours? It is always a good idea to go to your employer with a solution in mind that would suit you best.

You might also try informally asking a Citizens Advice Bureau, or ACAS, but generally, employers have discretion on how they deal with employees as a separate issue from entitlements. Is there a trade union type person at work to whom you could turn for advice?

I think that most people are never really able to work as long and hard as they did before this surgery, and the need to be kind to yourself will continue.

[haward]

There's a lot you need to consider. If you have a pension fund you may be able to buy an enhanced annuity which may mean you get around twice as much as you'd get if you hadn't been so ill. You should find an expert on this. I did. It was worth it. It might be sensible to work part time and take the pension ; if you are old enough........apologies if I'm presumptuous. same with the lump sum if you take a redundancy. The tax free element may well be best invested in an enhanced annuity.

[sallym]

I took note of your original reply to me and sent back my response which doesn't appear on this post so hope you have received it, if not I will send it again, well worth going down the Macmillan route

Good luck with it sally

[Hidden]

If you do retire you will be entitled to benefits eg contribution based support allowance and disability allowance no known as P.I.P now and your pay off from work doesnt come into calculation.Stop work if your health tell syou too as I stopped work after having time off and went back to work after op but couldnt do it thats 4 years ago now

[margie1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Griff I am going to ask my manager if the offer of ill health retirement is still on the table as i really am struggling. i was worried about paying bills my mortgage etc and didnt think i could get benefits i have realisd that i dont need the stress of fulfilling my role worrying about the pain it causes etc

Margie

[Hidden in reply to margie1]

Sound good as it is hard to carry on working for some of us.Good luck

Griff

[lilia]

I was retired on ill health grounds. It was a fairly long process through HR dept but came out OK. I received my pension and was advised to claim Incapacity Benefit (think this may have change now) which I received until I went on to my State Pension. I have never looked back. I have some bad days but on the good one we get out and about and I enjoy being with my family as much as I can. I have 5 grandchildren which I never though I would see grow up when I was diagnosed nearly 8 years ago.

Life is for living, enjoy every day!!

[margie1 in reply to lilia]

Hi Lilia thank you for your reply i am seriously thinking of asking my employer if the offer to retire is still there as i refused when offered but now realise i cannot fulfill my role and i am struggling greatly i just hope they understand. I refused as i was worried about paying the mortgage etc I have 8 grandchildren lol so i want to enjoy them as much as i can

take care

Marg