Work signing me off but not eligible for any disability benefits — Scope | Disability forum
If we become concerned about you or anyone else while using one of our services, we will act in line with our safeguarding policy and procedures. This may involve sharing this information with relevant authorities to ensure we comply with our policies and legal obligations.

Find out how to let us know if you're concerned about another member's safety.
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Work signing me off but not eligible for any disability benefits

laura87
laura87 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
I was diagnosed with CFS in february then Fibromyalgia in July and Arthritis and today they have sent me  for Tests for AS. Im constantly in pain and exhausted and havent been able to work a fill day since. Work are talking abour signing me off work due to sickness but  not eligible for an disability benefits. Any advice on what I can do


Comments

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @laura87   Pleased to meet you welcome.

    Thank you for joining and sharing.

    Sorry to hear what you are going through.

    I am one of the team of community champions. We guide, advise and help members of our community.

    Please may I suggest have a look at our benefit information. You added might not be eligible for benefits.

    Please have a look to see if you fit the criteria.

    https://www.gov.uk./browse/benefits/

    We have also one of our team who is knowledgeable and has expertise on benefit and employment situations.

    @poppy123456 a member of our community champions team.

    I hope she can answer anything else you may need to know.

    Please if I help with anything further please ask.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman




    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Testing team Posts: 10,666 Scope online community team
    Hi @laura87 and welcome to the community. :)
    Can I ask, why do you think you're not eligible for any disability benefits? Have you looked into PIP and New Style ESA at all?
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @laura87, how are you getting on today?
    Scope

  • laura87
    laura87 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    I contacted citizens advice and they said that i didnt qualify for any. My son has recently been diagnosed with severe epilepsy aswell and hes not eligible for any help either
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,040 Disability Gamechanger
    Are you sure that advice you've been given is correct?

    You mention working? Have you claimed SSP for 28 weeks from your employer? This is payable with a fit note from your GP. See link. https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay

    If you've already claimed that then you maybe entitled to New style ESA. This is a contributions based benefit and claiming it will totally depend on your NI contributions from working in the previous 2 tax years. The years that count for an ESA claim at the moment is April 2016-2017 and April 2017 -2018. You can check them here

    If you've paid enough NI credits then to claim New

    May i ask if you're claiming any other benefits like tax credit? housing benefit? Do you have dependent children?

    Do you live with a partner that works?

    Your son, first i need to ask how old he is? is he in full time education or does he work? does he have a partner? children?

    Sorry for all the questions but i can't help you any further without knowing more details.

    One last thing. PIP isn't means tested so income/savings and capital doesn't affect it at all. To be awarded this depends on how your conditions affect your ability to carry out daily activities based on the PIP descriptors. It's not about a diagnosis. Those aged between 16 and state pension age can claim this but claims can take several months, sometimes longer.

    Evidence will be needed to support a claim and a face to face assessment is most likely.

    Information in this link.

    If your son is under 16 then it's DLA for him. Whether he'll successfully be awarded will depend on whether he needs more care and attention than a child the same age who doesn't have a disability.



    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • laura87
    laura87 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    I was signed off for 2 months february and went back to work for 3 hours a day 3 days a week instead of 8 hours a day 5 days a week as thats all I could manage and now Ive been signed off for just over a month but they've put it down to stress with my sons condition. Since being off MY health has got worse.  So Ive had 12 weeks off with sick pay but I they havent been consecutive weeks.
    My son is 12, hes in full time education however hasnt been able to attend for 3 weeks as his seizures are daily and hes on recently starting medication. I have my son and 10year old daughter. 
    My husband is self employed. I receive universal credit and child benefit
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    edited November 2019
    Hello @Laura87 and welcome to the forum.

    One question which has not been asked is if your status includes 'no recourse to public funds'. If this is the case a good website for information is http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/

    In particular the following page may be of interest: http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/information/Pages/not-public-funds.aspx

    As you can see on the last link above for those with NRPF may be entitled to contributory element of some benefits but not the income related element of benefits. They still need to meet the criteria.

    @poppy123456 is one of our more knowledgeable member on benefit issues and her advice comes without prejudice or judgement on the individual. As she says it is difficult to know how to advise if we don't have the full details, so please do take time to answer her questions. 

    For those with NRPF status a lot can depend on the conditions set and may need more specialised support. In this case I would recommend contacting the Scope helpline on 0808 800 3333 while they may not be able to advise you they could hopefully help to identify more specialised advice local to you. As this is likely to entail asking for information they do not allow on the forums.


    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,040 Disability Gamechanger
    @Geoark i didn't even think of the "public funds potential issue" thanks for that, very much appreciated!
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • laura87
    laura87 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    I am getting help for housing assistance through the local council
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,040 Disability Gamechanger
    laura87 said:
    I am getting help for housing assistance through the local council
    I will need a lot more information to be able to help you further. Please answer all my other questions in my previous comment.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • laura87
    laura87 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    Im currently under the homeless act due to domestic violence
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @poppy123456

    Just found this post by laura87 above my post, as I was responding at the time I missed it.

    I was signed off for 2 months february and went back to work for 3 hours a day 3 days a week instead of 8 hours a day 5 days a week as thats all I could manage and now Ive been signed off for just over a month but they've put it down to stress with my sons condition. Since being off MY health has got worse.  So Ive had 12 weeks off with sick pay but I they havent been consecutive weeks.
    My son is 12, hes in full time education however hasnt been able to attend for 3 weeks as his seizures are daily and hes on recently starting medication. I have my son and 10year old daughter. 
    My husband is self employed. I receive universal credit and child benefit

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,040 Disability Gamechanger
    @Geoark thank you so much for pointing out that comment. I have no idea how i managed to miss that. I've cleaned my glasses now, so that should help ;)

    @laura87 That's an awful lot to be going through and i'm sorry to hear this. I'm saddened by the advice you've had from your local CAB!

    As you're already claiming UC then i'd advise you to send in fit/sick notes from your GP so that you can start the work capability assessment process off. Once you send these in you'll need to continue to send them in until a decision's been made on your claim. After 29 days your case manager will refer you for a work capability assessment and you'll be sent a work capability assessment form to fill in and return with all your evidence.

    Once this is received you'll most likely need to attend a work capability assessment and they will assess your ability to do any type of work. I'll add some links here for you to have a look at that will explain the whole process.


    Once you've had the assessment a decision will be made on your claim. If you're awarded LCWRA then you'll receive an extra £336 per month from the 4th month of your claim from when you sent in your first fit note.

    Did you also read the PIP links i posted above? If you didn't then please have a read of those. Whether you're entitled to PIP will depend how your conditions affect you. If you think you qualify then start a claim by ringing the PIP helpline. Link here. https://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim

    Your son, as he's under the age of 16 then it will be DLA you would need to claim for him. To be successfully awarded this you'll need to show that he needs more care and attention than that of a child the same age that doesn't have a disability. Please do read this link.

    See think link on how to start a claim. https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children

    I really hope this advice helps a little and i'm sorry i didn't see that comment from you earlier. If you need anymore advice please do ask!





    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Testing team Posts: 10,666 Scope online community team
    Hi @laura87. Poppy and Geoark have given you some great advice above. Please do let us know if you have any more questions or we can help you with any of it. 
    Community Manager
    Scope

Brightness

Complete our feedback form and tell us how we can make the community better.

Do you need advice on your energy costs?


Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.