Entitlement to benefits if I leave my job

I have suffered from depression & anxiety for some time now after the death of my father, separating from my fiance & moving back home with my mum.

However for the past month or so I have felt worse & earlier this week I was taken into A&E as I couldn't breath. Dr tested my heart, chest & blood but found nothing. He diagnosed it as a panic attack, never having had one before I had been terrified.

Tomorrow I have to see my GP for to discuss coping stategies however I feel my job is the main cause of my panic. I work in a call centre & lately I have been struggling to get through the working day - I wake up filled with dread, become breathless during calls & suffer chest pains & stomach cramps.

I have looked for jobs that don't involve call centre work but have not had so much as an interview in months now. I can't cope anymore - I cry at the slightest thing, am snappy, have no appetite & can't remember when I last got a good night sleep.

Any advice on entitlement to benefits til I sort myself out would be much appreciated. I have thought of just taking more time off but as I have already exceeded my 3 instances, im on 'absence report' so would have to go through disciplinary procedure & couldn't face that.

Thanks
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Comments

  • ladylumps45
    ladylumps45 Posts: 617 Forumite
    i would suggest that you go to see your gp and get signed off and go through the proper channels rather than leave your job as then you wouldnt be entitled to anything for a long time if you intentionally make yourself jobless.
    if you get signed off sick eventually you will go onto SSP depending on you company sick pay procedure and then you can apply for ESA.
    i hope you feel better soon.:o
  • dmg24
    dmg24 Posts: 33,925 Forumite
    i would suggest that you go to see your gp and get signed off and go through the proper channels rather than leave your job as then you wouldnt be entitled to anything for a long time if you intentionally make yourself jobless.

    In the given circumstances, a Decision Maker is very unlikely to impose sanction, so the OP could claim JSA straightaway.

    OP, do you feel that you are ready to look for a new job, or do you need some time off before looking for other work?
    Gone ... or have I?
  • CHARDONNAY_3
    CHARDONNAY_3 Posts: 294 Forumite
    As I said I could probably get a sicknote from my GP for a week or so but as I am on 'absence report' I've been warned that if I'm absent again (within 3 months of last incident) I will have to go through disciplinary procedures on my return, which would just be too much to handle. How could I relax if I knew I had to return to that?

    I would love to be able to take some time out to deal with this, then find a new job, maybe on a part time basis at first. But I'm just so worried that if I had no money to live of whilst not working, I'd become anxious about that too. I just feel so trapped.

    Thanks for your advice so far
  • ladyrider260
    ladyrider260 Posts: 279 Forumite
    The most important thing is that you'll have a safehouse with your Mum. Being in disciplinary is not good as they may be entitled to let you go on this basis. The jobcentre will see this as you making yourself deliberately unemployed (it's nothing personal, just the way they pigeonhole everyone!). I'd say you need to go to the citizens advice bureau as soon as you can and get some advice on your situation & see what rights you have.
    Best of luck.
  • CHARDONNAY_3
    CHARDONNAY_3 Posts: 294 Forumite
    I returned to work after my doctor's appointment today only to be swooped on by a manager telling me I am needed to work a load of extra hours as overtime next week (I work for NHS Direct & as you can imagine with swine flu our lines are constantly busy) A while ago we were asked if we could do overtime & I agreed because everyone else said yes & I didn't want to feel I was shying away from the extra work, however in light of what's happened, I can barely cope with my normal hours, let alone overtime.

    Also, how can the jobcentre say you made yourself unemployed deliberately if your employer sacks you while on the sick with a sicknote from a doctor. The thought of that just makes me more anxious.

    I want to work, just not in a call-centre. I find it so upsetting that I may not be entitled to claim anything because I have had a job, yet there are a number of people I know who have never worked & they claim all sorts. It's just so unfair.
  • dookar
    dookar Posts: 1,654 Forumite
    The most important thing is that you'll have a safehouse with your Mum. Being in disciplinary is not good as they may be entitled to let you go on this basis. The jobcentre will see this as you making yourself deliberately unemployed (it's nothing personal, just the way they pigeonhole everyone!). I'd say you need to go to the citizens advice bureau as soon as you can and get some advice on your situation & see what rights you have.
    Best of luck.

    :confused:
  • I have suffered with another panic attack last night. My poor mum was left with the task of calming me down, but she is beside herself with worry. She has begged me to return to the doctor to get signed off for a couple of weeks, to see if I can work through my anxiety, but I 'm dreading the thought of any disciplinary action that would follow.

    My mum has said not to worry as she she will support me until I am able to claim some money or find a new job if I am sacked, but there's no way she would realistically be able to do this as her only income is her pension/pension credits. Now I feel bad for burdening her with all of this. I just feel so worthless. I don't know what to do.
  • cattie
    cattie Posts: 8,841
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    Has your gp offered you any medication to help with the anxiety/panic attacks?

    If not then ask them for something. Once you begin to understand panic attacks they become easier to cope with & far less scary.

    If you were signed off sick for any length of time your employer could dismiss you on the grounds of not being able to carry out your job properly. This may be the best way foward for you if you really don't feel up to returning to this job & didn't want to risk resigning.

    However, the process can be quite long & drawn out as the company has to follow a rigid proceedure, which will include asking you to meet with them to discuss your health & a likely date for returning to work. If you don't feel up to this you don't have to agree to it & can state your mental health as a reason.

    If you are dismissed this way whilst being on sick you are not sanctioned & as long as you are not considered fit for work by one of the dr's used by DWP as part of their medical process, you can take what time is needed to recover & look for more suitable work.
    The bigger the bargain, the better I feel.

    I should mention that there's only one of me, don't confuse me with others of the same name.
  • hayley11
    hayley11 Posts: 7,625
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    Chardonnay - if you feel you are unable to work for the time being, leave your job and you can claim ESA straight away. Your health is the most important thing here and it's so easy for anxiety to spiral out of control.

    Then when you are feeling better, you can change over to JSA and start looking for work. :)
    :heart: Think happy & you'll be happy :heart:
    I :heart2: my doggies
  • KylieFan24
    KylieFan24 Posts: 75 Forumite
    Hi,

    I am in a very similar situation to you at the moment have been off with depression on 3 seperate occasions since the start of 2009 and my employer has told me in not so many words that if I cant commit to being able to go back to work without any more sick time then I should probably resign.

    The thought of not knowing how long you could be unemployed for is awful and when you do want to work but you feel you cannot face it is just another pressure when you are already feeling fragile.

    I agree with hayley11 your health is the most important thing, if work is a major factor in your anxiety and panic attacks you do need to leave and give yourself some time to feel yourself. I know it is a scary thought but if you already ended up in A&E with anxiety then things are pretty bad.

    I really sympathise with you and I hope you can get back on track soon, I know it is really hard when your feelings& emotions are so out of control.

    Medication can help in the short term even of you dont like the idea of it, it is there to help you get things back in perspective.

    Good luck with everything.x
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