Intermittant Health Problems and Housing Benefit

Whitehorse_2

Hi - I hope someone can advise me. I am in full time work and have been for the past 4 years. Starting at the beginning of this year I have been experiencing health problems. I'm ok then off work for a week, two weeks, go back, get sick again... It's driving me nuts and my doctors don't know what's wrong with me aside from some vitimin levels being extremely low (which I'm being treated for). Hedging towards a post viral/autoimmune condition.

I HATE being off sick. I like my employers and don't want to let them down but I am utterly unable to go in when I am like this. My problem is that I only get Statutary Sick Pay and this obviously doesn't cover my rent (housing association). With each period of sickness I am unable to pay my rent and I am getting deeper into debt. I don't know how long this is going to go on for (fell sick again last Thursday) but I am terrified because I cannot pay my bills.

Is there any way that I can claim housing benefit for those times when I am sick? Can I back date as I have wage slips to show when I was off? Of course I am hoping I will just recover and things will go back to normal but right now it doesn't seem like that's going to happen for a while.

My job isn't very well paid so I do not have any savings. It's just over the threshold though so I cannot get tax credits.

I would be grateful for any advice.

karenx

If you are over the limit for tax credits then chances are you will get little or no help with housing benefit either.
You can only backdate housing benefit to the day you applied. Not for periods in the past when you wernt being paid alot.

Whitehorse_2

hi Karen
Thanks for your reply. I'm so confused. I mean how can anyone pay rent with only statutory sick pay? That doesn't make ANY sense to me at all.

Has anyone else been in this position?