Self-employed and being asked to reduce work

cadenza82

Some of you may have read in another thread that the DVLA has just revoked my driving licence because of my eyesight (even at the age of 26). I don't have a kind of 'standard' eye problem, so I immediately don't fit in with the system!

Last week, my consultant forcefully suggested that if I didn't want my eyesight to deteriorate any further, I need to significantly reduce the amount of 'close work' I do. The other suggestion was that they could given me special eye drops which would simply prevent me doing anything. The trouble is, I'm self-employed, and virtually all the tasks I undertake as part of that work are what they considered 'close work'.

This is a real 'catch 22' for me; If I reduce the 'close work' as they suggest, this is inevitably going to have quite an effect on my income. As I pointed out to them, at a very practical level, who is going to replace the income I would lose, if I went along with this proposed course of treatment? On the other hand, as no other solutions are being offered, I'm loathed not to try this one, but, I don't think they appreciate the realities of it.

Any suggestions here? I don't particularly want to go down the road of benefits, and I don't know whether I would ever qualify for them anyway. Presumably though, if you were receiving medical treatment for some other condition which prevented you working, you'd have little other option?

I've always got the impression that if you've chosen to be self-employed, you've 'made your bed and no have to lie in it'!

David

jellytastic

I really feel for you. I was a very very succesful magician for 10 years earning a very high income, however my disability took over and I became too disabled to work. I did have a support worker for several years but finally had to admit defeat. I have been on ESA since last July and my husband has left a high paid job to care for me.
I feel like my life has ended as my job was the one thing, next to my husband and daughter that I loved, It was a way of life, a hobby more than a job - was a major bonus that I could make a very good living doing it.
I have no advice for you but wish you all the very best x

AnxiousMum

Sorry to hear of your problem. Unfortunately, when people become self employed, many often fail to see the need for private insurance as it's simply an 'expense' at the time. Insurance is probably one of the biggest must haves if you are self employed!

Hammyman

Are you at a point where you are able to employ someone, even as a trainee?

cadenza82

Hammyman wrote: »

Are you at a point where you are able to employ someone, even as a trainee?

It's not really the sort of business where that would ever happen.

On the insurance issue, this is something I considered, but the costs were very high. I'm not sure also whether any kind of insurance policy would pay out under these conditions - in the end, it's not a case of not being able to work.

jellytastic

AnxiousMum wrote: »

Sorry to hear of your problem. Unfortunately, when people become self employed, many often fail to see the need for private insurance as it's simply an 'expense' at the time. Insurance is probably one of the biggest must haves if you are self employed!

I would never have got insurance as I had a diagnosed genetic disorder, I always knew I was on borrowed time! Just glad to have had a career I loved and the memories.

AnxiousMum

jellytastic wrote: »

I would never have got insurance as I had a diagnosed genetic disorder, I always knew I was on borrowed time! Just glad to have had a career I loved and the memories.

You certainly have a positive outlook - great to hear of someone who really loved their career and can enjoy the memories - I'm sorry you've had to lose something you love so much.

Lifeisbutadream

AnxiousMum wrote: »

Sorry to hear of your problem. Unfortunately, when people become self employed, many often fail to see the need for private insurance as it's simply an 'expense' at the time. Insurance is probably one of the biggest must haves if you are self employed!

That isnt always possible though.

My husband and I are self employed - he suffers with chronic back problems and has done for years - there is no way could we get cover for that problem and the costs are extremely high anyway - we couldnt afford to pay for it (especially as you cannot use the costs as a business expense). We will just have to take the risk - there is no point insuring me, as I could not run the business without him anyway.

Long term we just hope that we can build up the business up enough, so that he can take a back seat at some point in the future. If the worst happens before that then we will have to just deal with it when it happens - we have lots of equity in the house so would have to sell if necessary.

Sorry OP - I know that doesnt help you, but I wish you luck and I hope that it all works out for you.

AnxiousMum

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

That isnt always possible though.

My husband and I are self employed - he suffers with chronic back problems and has done for years - there is no way could we get cover for that problem and the costs are extremely high anyway - we couldnt afford to pay for it (especially as you cannot use the costs as a business expense). We will just have to take the risk - there is no point insuring me, as I could not run the business without him anyway.

Long term we just hope that we can build up the business up enough, so that he can take a back seat at some point in the future. If the worst happens before that then we will have to just deal with it when it happens - we have lots of equity in the house so would have to sell if necessary.

Sorry OP - I know that doesnt help you, but I wish you luck and I hope that it all works out for you.

Just like any insurance, no you wouldn't be able to get it for existing conditions. Unfortunately though, it's one of those risks that you have to take if you are uninsurable and choose to work self employed. Depending on a busineses nature of work though - it is highly possible that your business can get to the point where you are making enough money off of your employees and profit margins on your materials, that the uninsurable person can be doing the behind the scenes work and not the hard labour and making a decent living as well.
Of course, if you ARE insurable, yes, it's expensive, but not as expensive as having to lose your home if you get sick/injured and can no longer work.

Lifeisbutadream

AnxiousMum wrote: »

Just like any insurance, no you wouldn't be able to get it for existing conditions. Unfortunately though, it's one of those risks that you have to take if you are uninsurable and choose to work self employed. Depending on a busineses nature of work though - it is highly possible that your business can get to the point where you are making enough money off of your employees and profit margins on your materials, that the uninsurable person can be doing the behind the scenes work and not the hard labour and making a decent living as well.
Of course, if you ARE insurable, yes, it's expensive, but not as expensive as having to lose your home if you get sick/injured and can no longer work.

We have weighed up the risks and the pros and cons - it is one of the many nightmares of running your own business (put it this way, if someone had listed them all to me at the beginning we wouldnt have done it and I would have stayed in my steady, boring job!)

My husband is a joiner/builder there will come a time when he cannot work as his back is getting steadily worse, so our plan is to take people on to do the work and he steps back and does the pricing etc. - HMRC dont make it easy as the best way would be to take on contractors, so we arent risking everything (and we dont have the money!) should work fall away. We estimate it will take about 10 years to be able to afford to take people on and have money to fall back on, so we really are risking everything, but hopefully things will turn out ok in the long run.

AnxiousMum

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

We have weighed up the risks and the pros and cons - it is one of the many nightmares of running your own business (put it this way, if someone had listed them all to me at the beginning we wouldnt have done it and I would have stayed in my steady, boring job!)

My husband is a joiner/builder there will come a time when he cannot work as his back is getting steadily worse, so our plan is to take people on to do the work and he steps back and does the pricing etc. - HMRC dont make it easy as the best way would be to take on contractors, so we arent risking everything (and we dont have the money!) should work fall away. We estimate it will take about 10 years to be able to afford to take people on and have money to fall back on, so we really are risking everything, but hopefully things will turn out ok in the long run.

I know what you mean! Been there done that with the ex - and luckily didn't have to fall back on the insurance etc. Good luck with it and I hope you get to realise the benefits of your hard work and risk taking in later years!