Operation Needed :(

MattJ10

I'm currently working for UK-Mail as a self-employed courier driver and I’ve recently been informed that I need to have a operation on my knee as I’ve torn my ACL playing football 8 months ago. Due to the type of work I've decided to quit my job as I can't afford to pay someone to do my work. Does anybody know what type or if I can claim benefits due to not being able to work? I've been told it will be a 6 month recovery as long as nothing goes wrong, I hate the fact I will be out of work due to the financial commitments I have rent, loan and mobile phone. Can anybody point me in the right direction???

Cheers

Elle7

ESA is the new out-of-work benefit, although it can be quite difficult to pass a medical, and ATOS are likely to find you able to work because you would be able to do a desk job. They don't take into consideration experience or the type of job you do - if you are suitable for any job, you won't be entitled to benefit. So you might find that you struggle a bit here...even people who cannot walk are assessed although they use wheelchairs, as an example.

You'll get an assessment rate of around £60 a week I think, for the first 13 weeks. Then you'll have a medical, and either you'll be put in the work group and helped to find work, put in the support group if you are unsuitable for work for a significant period, or told you can work and transferred onto JSA.

A JSA claim might be sanctioned by up to 26 weeks because you have voluntarily left employment, so if you are going to go down this route, you'll want to sign on asap. Time between quitting and signing on is not taken into account.

Is there any chance you can find another job you will be able to do? Because otherwise you are likely to be left with little, and the amount of help you'll get with rent will depend on your age, the type of accommodation you live in and where abouts you live.

MrsManda

Posting on the benefits board may be a good option but in the meantime put your details into the direct.gov and/or the turn2us benefits calculators (links below) and it'll give you a rough idea of what you may be able to claim.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/ba/lp?_piref278_36249_278_36248_36248.__ora_navig=

As the previous poster said you'll be able to claim ESA when you are unable to work due to ill health but may not be able to receive it for your whole recovery period as you are assessed to see if you are capable of any work rather than just the work you are used to doing.

Have you already quit your job? When are you having the surgery?
You're unlikely to receive Jobseekers Allowance between now and your operation if you've quit your job as you'll be seen as making yourself intentionally unemployed. However it may be worth claiming just incase as any sanction starts from when you apply rather than when you quit your job.

It may be worth writing a Statement of Affairs and posting on the Debtfreewannabe board for advice on cutting down your outgoings as you'll probably find your income will drop regardless of what benefits you receive.

HTH

Uncertain

Elle7 wrote: »

A JSA claim might be sanctioned by up to 26 weeks because you have voluntarily left employment, so if you are going to go down this route, you'll want to sign on asap.

If you have clear medical evidence that you were unable to carry on in the job for medical reasons then the possible JSA sanction should be waived.

Elle7

Uncertain wrote: »

If you have clear medical evidence that you were unable to carry on in the job for medical reasons then the possible JSA sanction should be waived.

Oh okay. I thought in those circumstances they'd make you go onto ESA, so a JSA sanction would still be possible if the OP wanted to continue to look for work.

Thanks for setting me straight

TrickyWicky

@Matt: Whats it like working as a courier? - I think we've all seen the ads promising huge pay salaries etc but its rare to hear from someone who does it for a living. Is it all its cracked up to be or just another fast buck for those with the knowledge?