Statutory Sick Pay

pmlindyloo

Help please!

If someone is receiving SSP can they apply for Income Support?

Scenario - 40 year old single woman living in mortgaged house with another single woman (joint mortgage). Mortgage £600 per month. SSP since December 2011 of approx, £86 per week. Woman suffering from cancer and undergoing operation/checks etc

Can said woman apply for IS? Would she get any help with housing costs/CTB?

No savings and is obviously struggling. I realise that she might have to go onto ESA at the end of the 28 weeks and then things would be easier but what about now?

Mortgage lender has refused mortgage break (probably because it is a joint mortgage and other woman is liable.)

Many thanks for any help.

[Deleted User]

I don't think Income Support as you are still classed as employed whilst receiving SSP.
Macmillan would be the best people to contact for advise.
I don't know if Tax Credits might be available?
Could try Council Tax but unsure if this would be possible with another working adult in the household.
The only possible thing I can think of is DLA but this depends on the persons care and mobility needs? Also depends how long they are likely to be sick, I think you have to have had the mobility/care needs for 3 Months.

pmlindyloo

Thanks for your help.

It does say that you might be entitled to IS but I think that the SSP would take you over the income limit.

Do you think that if you applied for IS and you got what they call a nil award it would still entitle you to help with housing costs and CTB?

I find it very strange that after the 28 weeks there would be an entitlement to ESA and she would probably get help with housing costs and CTB but because she is receiving SSP there appears to be nowt.

The joint mortgage aspect is not helping because the other woman can hardly 'sub' her unlike if she had a partner.

Oh dear. I suppose there is no way she could stop the SSP and go onto ESA without resigning from her job?

Chrissiew

My Husband is recieving SSP and has been since the end of Jan, there is just my self and him in the household, of course we have all the usual bills like rent, gas electric etc, he asked about IS but was told he couldnt get it as he is still employed just on sick leave.

He does get £3.94 a week tax credits and they carry on, if he is still unwell after 28 weeks then those stop as well and so does SSP and he would have to go onto ESA.

skintmumof2

Hi. My situation was a couple me and my partner. Me not working and him getting 81 ssp. We puts claim in for income support top up. If your household income is low u can claim a top up which tops up to the couple limit of 105 I think it was? Loads of dwp people said we couldn't claim anything. ESA was for sick not working income support top up for working but receiving ssp only

pmlindyloo

Thank you everyone for answering.

I have passed all the information on so hopefully the person will get the help she needs.

MrsManda

it may be worth getting her to put her details into one of the benefits checkers to make sure there's nothing else she can claim.

pmlindyloo

Unfortunately she is too sick to do this at the moment.

I have tried to do this for her but it is complicated because I am not sure how sharing a joint mortgage with a friend is classed. Non dependant? Can't put partner as their income will be taken into account. Also not sure about tax credits as her income will change this tax year but unsure how to estimate it.

So far have suggested to investigate:

IS
House costs
CTB
WTC
DLA
CAB and Macmillan

I think she needs someone to help her with all this - either a home visit from CAB or Macmillan (hopefully).

Chrissiew

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Unfortunately she is too sick to do this at the moment.

I have tried to do this for her but it is complicated because I am not sure how sharing a joint mortgage with a friend is classed. Non dependant? Can't put partner as their income will be taken into account. Also not sure about tax credits as her income will change this tax year but unsure how to estimate it.

So far have suggested to investigate:

IS
House costs
CTB
WTC
DLA
CAB and Macmillan

I think she needs someone to help her with all this - either a home visit from CAB or Macmillan (hopefully).

Can you just put the amount she pays towards the mortgage into the checker? dont know if that would work but it could be one way of finding things out

pmlindyloo

Doesn't seem to allow that! Since mortgage is joint I have no idea how her share would be calculated re: entitlement to benefits. Perhaps I should use the whole amount since she is liable (in theory) for all of it.

I am going to leave it for the 'experts' in the relevant departments.

Also am aware that I don't want to give false hope.