Retiring on medical grounds

rogerblack

ShockingPink wrote: »

As for ESA, contributions based isn't means tested (so any savings won't affect it) but pension income of over £85 a week is taken into account.

If you have been working, and claim ESA, then for the first year, it's not means-tested.
After this, if you are in the 'work related activity group' - it is.

Only the most severely disabled will be eligible for the support group, where it's more often not means-tested.

rotoguys

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

As something you've paid for yourself, your pension would be relatively secure and you can carry on claiming it if you find yourself able to work in the future. Benefits can be withdrawn at any time or you might find yourself ineligible in the first place and you're very much at the whim of government policy.

Much better to be independent.

The only trouble is that some works pensions that were granted due to ill health retirement will not continue to be paid if you do find that you are able to go back to work in the future.

c0113tt3

I have a further question in regards to medical retirement and ESA contribution based. You are allowed upto £85 per week personal pension, and then ESA reduces by every 50pence per pound pension. What if, your pension was normally inaccessable until retirement, but under special medical retirement rules it was accessable early only as a lump sum? I suppose in essance thepension was cashed in. Is it then classed as capital, as i believe it should be, or could it be interpreted that your lump sum, is an income, just that you got it all at once? but normally wouldnt be accessable until retirement.

Francesanne

milliman11 wrote: »

I suffer from inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis and have had several joint replacements. I have quite a few more surgeries on the cards and also have many days where the sheer physicality of getting myself into work and then lasting the day takes every scrap of energy I have.
I'm now thinking the time has come for me to look into retiring on health grounds. I would receive a pension from work but would I be entitled to other benefits? Would I be entitled to apply for DLA or the care one, and how much would I get in benefits (Is it called ESA now?) for not being able to work?
I've worked all my life and have never claimed, and have tried to keep going but I feel so poorly a lot of the time now and know I'm no longer doing a good job at work which breaks my heart.

I'm no expert on DLA but I would have thought with all your mobility issues you would have been entitled to claim DLA long before this point. I use to work with a woman who suffered from MS and she was able to claim DLA whilst still working. Good luck with your claim.

rotoguys

Francesanne wrote: »

I'm no expert on DLA but I would have thought with all your mobility issues you would have been entitled to claim DLA long before this point. I use to work with a woman who suffered from MS and she was able to claim DLA whilst still working. Good luck with your claim.

Like many benefits, there is a large proportion of potential awardees that never make a claim for that benefit.

There are also many reasons for not doing so. Ignorance, shame, stress involved etc etc.

When the government talk about abuse of the benefit system and their intention to stamp it out, you see very little affort being made by them to make sure that ALL genuine claimants claim their full entitlement. They couldn't afford the overall cost so they keep quiet about it.

Do you ever see a newspaper getting hot under the collar about those that are entitled but not being given the ability to claim it?

It's something that the government hope never happens. As backdating is so restrictive, they (the government) themselves are milking the 'benefit pot' of the money not claimed and using it for other purposes. Disgusting!!