Are we entitled to any benefits if we have PBC and can't work?

[Carolscorner]

I've worked all my life since aged 16 (now 56) and was diagnosed with PBC nearly 9 years ago now. During all of that time I have worked full time in a very demanding job, but my employers have been good in recent years allowing me to work from home. Unfortunately though I have found it harder and harder to concentrate, and mornings waking up can be a bit of a problem with the mind not quite being what it used to be, and the pain in my feet and lower legs has become somewhat unbearable lately too and I now tire easily.

I got an opportunity to take early retirement and reduncancy recently after nearly 25 years with the same company, so I took it knowing that it was going to be difficult for me to continue in the position that I had. I also know now that it would be difficult for me to hold down a full time job with a permanent commitment, but this leaves me with very little income from my pension and it appears that I'm not entitled to benefits of any other kind.

This really does not seem to be right - can anyone else offer help here?

[Neata]

Hi you should be entitled to contribution based job seekers and if our not well enough to work go to your gp and request a sick note then you'll be assessed for ESA and apply for DLA too

neata

[Hidden]

Hello.

I think when one has PBC it is probably fair to say that it seems a bit of a grey area from what I have read on this site and also from what I can make out from the DWP website that has PBC as a condition with regards to benefits.

dwp.gov.uk/publications/spe...

I started with the itch back in early 2010 and I was at the time working in a full-time managerial job that was demanding and also costing me longer hours every day with very little time off in the 5mths I was temporary (due to the manager going on sick leave as I was the assistant manager with less working hours normally).

I'd have stuck with the job myself but it was my husband's decision that I should quit the job due to the fact it was eating away at our lives and we were both rarely together at the time due to his demanding job also. I quit but never applied for any benefits (I am 48 now, 46 at diagnose) due to the fact I had resigned from what I came to realise had to be one of the worst jobs I had ever had (and should have stayed in my non-demanding previous part-time post elsewhere where I went in, did the work and then went home with no worries).

I know I could work at present in some capacity but wouldn't actually be suitable to the job I quit. So for me that would rule out any type of benefit due to PBC as I only get the itch at night even if it then makes me flag the following day in the aft if I have had a restless night.

The one thing though is that when I remarried 4yrs ago I had been a widow for 16yrs and I still receive a pension from my late first husband's employer for life and though it may not be very much it does mean that by now being married again I do not actually at present have to be in paid employment (I did return to voluntary work I had done in-between jobs over the yrs and still do one day a wk currently).

[Hidden]

Hi I was told that when you claim it is not because you have PBC but the effects that PBC has on you. ie. the way it makes you feel, like the pain in your legs, joints inability to walk properly, fatigue etc;

so it is a bit difficult to get if you don't have other medical conditions as well. They don't rate PBC alone as a reason to get DLA.