Benefits advice needed

ginsterman

A friend was involved in a riding accident which led to two badly broken legs, she may not be able to walk properly for 8 mths to a year after intensive rehab. She had just started a new job three weeks before the accident and they have now terminated her contract. She has an interest only mortgage and will not be able to even look for a job for at least 3 months due to further operations and not being able to weight bear on either leg for a couple of months. So basically what i would like to know if possible is what benefits is she likely to be able to claim? Before the accident she has been in full time employment for 18 years so her NI contributions are full and up to date if this makes a difference. I think JSA is a non starter due to not being able to look for a job at the moment or attend interviews let alone start work.

Thanks in advance for any responses

HappyMJ

ginsterman wrote: »

A friend was involved in a riding accident which led to two badly broken legs, she may not be able to walk properly for 8 mths to a year after intensive rehab. She had just started a new job three weeks before the accident and they have now terminated her contract. She has an interest only mortgage and will not be able to even look for a job for at least 3 months due to further operations and not being able to weight bear on either leg for a couple of months. So basically what i would like to know if possible is what benefits is she likely to be able to claim? Before the accident she has been in full time employment for 18 years so her NI contributions are full and up to date if this makes a difference. I think JSA is a non starter due to not being able to look for a job at the moment or attend interviews let alone start work.

Thanks in advance for any responses

So has she has run out of SSP? She can now claim ESA. With ESA she can then claim help with the interest on the mortgage. She can also claim Council tax benefit.

Caz3121

does she live alone?

ginsterman

Yes, she does

Dunroamin

Does she have savings/capital over £6,000?

ginsterman

No she doesn't

mazza111

She should be able to claim ESA.

As the condition has gone on for a while (I'm sure someone with more knowledge will correct me) She may also be able to claim Disability Living Allowance.

MrsManda

She should put in a claim for ESA:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_171894

For DLA she needs to have had mobility and/or care needs for at least 3 months and expect to have the needs for at least a further 6 months so it's possible given your description she would qualify.

DLA isn't means tested and providing you have care and/or mobility needs you can claim it while working.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10011816

mazza111

That's the timing bit I was thinking of MrsManda. Thank you.

I'm actually thinking of applying for my daughter. Had mobility problems for a year now. Last year dislocated right knee. Broken ankle in Oct. Cast for 6 months. Last few days of cast, dislocated left knee, which now won't stay in joint. Do you know if they would count these incidents separately or count them as a whole. Turns out the left knee could take a while to put right, been diagnosed as patella alta, and now won't stay in the right place.

rogerblack

mazza111 wrote: »

That's the timing bit I was thinking of MrsManda. Thank you.

I'm actually thinking of applying for my daughter. Had mobility problems for a year now. Last year dislocated right knee...

The test is - has her mobility been significantly affected for most of the last 3 months.
Is it likely to be affected for the next 6?

Can she walk at all, and how does she walk / how far.

mazza111

he test is - has her mobility been significantly affected for most of the last 3 months.

Yes

Is it likely to be affected for the next 6?

Don't really know, she's been having problems with her knees for years. Can't imagine it getting better in the next 6 months. Who knows how long it will take to get sorted. We don't even know if he's going to operate yet. 3 weeks of rest atm, then he'll decide on either intensive physio or MRI/Operation. We were told 8 weeks for the broken leg to heal, she ended up in cast for 6 months. Now with the other knee going, she's putting a lot of pressure on the recovered broken one and getting a lot of pain where the break was.

Can she walk at all, and how does she walk / how far.

The furthest she's walking atm is the length of a couple of 4 in a row council houses. Sorry I'm terrible when it comes to distances :rotfl: That's with her crutches, stopping frequently. Each step she can feel the patella slipping out.

Feel so sorry for her, she's 21 and for the last year has had no life due to these conditions. I know there's many worse off than her, just sux to see your child in so much pain. We really should have claimed 3 months into the broken ankle, but we really didn't expect it to last as long as it did if that makes sense. We just went with what the docs told us.