Advice please....

janat12

Hi. I'll try to be brief.

I'm a divorced 57yr old female plumber who was made redundant a year ago today, shortly after returning to work after a hip replacement ( off sick for 11 weeks ). Since then I have been receiving JSA, have applied for 49 jobs, had 2 interviews, and started work 3 days ago at a local hotel as a chambermaid.
I was over the moon, cos a job's a job, but just 3 days later I can't carry on - my hips and legs hurt so much at the end of the day and I'm finding it hard to walk or even get up from sitting without pain.

My surgeon hasn't signed me off since the op because of problems post op, and I'll be having the other hip replaced in the near future.

My question is (finally), I have to wait until next Thursday(20th) to see my GP, would you advise me to ask to go back on to JSA until my GP appointment, or perhaps apply straight away for ESA as I have no other income ?

epitome

If you think you will get a sick note from your GP from Thursday and you don't think he will backdate the sick note.... You can self cert yourself as sick for the first 7 days of a claim to ESA....

So you could start your ESA claim today self cert for the first 7 days and have the Dr's sicknote from Thursday onwards...that would be ok..... you will need continuos sick notes to claim ESA. If your doctor backdates you a sick note to today that will be fine aswell. Although not needed because of your self cert.

If you claimed JSA you would be "looked at" to consider if you had a valid reason to give up the job....I don't know those rules.

janat12

Thank you epitome.

Would you advise to claim ESA over the phone rather than online ?

jobseeking_help

janat12 wrote: »

Hi. I'll try to be brief.

I'm a divorced 57yr old female plumber who was made redundant a year ago today, shortly after returning to work after a hip replacement ( off sick for 11 weeks ). Since then I have been receiving JSA, have applied for 49 jobs, had 2 interviews, and started work 3 days ago at a local hotel as a chambermaid.
I was over the moon, cos a job's a job, but just 3 days later I can't carry on - my hips and legs hurt so much at the end of the day and I'm finding it hard to walk or even get up from sitting without pain.

My surgeon hasn't signed me off since the op because of problems post op, and I'll be having the other hip replaced in the near future.

My question is (finally), I have to wait until next Thursday(20th) to see my GP, would you advise me to ask to go back on to JSA until my GP appointment, or perhaps apply straight away for ESA as I have no other income ?

Janat

Apologies if I start giving you info you already know or don't need.

You can be off sick on JSA for up to 2 weeks without any fit ( sick ) note. Any more than a 2 week period for the same condition / ailment will close the claim for JSA. You can have 2 seperate periods of sickness on JSA in a rolling 12 mth period ( this is completing a JSA28 form informing the Benefit Delivery Centre ) - a 3rd period closes the claim and you would have to reclaim if you wanted further JSA and any further JSA28s in the 12 mths since the last would again close your claim.

You decide if you go onto ESA if you are not fit to work. Go on line to start a new claim for ESA or phone 08000 55 66 88 ( I think ). The call will take about 40 mins as it is a new claim. When they send the details to confirm you will need a formal GP fit note signing you off for more than 2 weeks ( ensure it is for more than 2 weeks or they may refer you back to JSA ) and send a copy back with confirmed claim details.

I would advise making a new claim for ESA the day after you have signed on for JSA as it then gives as much time as possible for BDC to transfer claim frem JSA to ESA. The call / online submission starts the process. You don't need a fit note beforehand. If in doubt that you will get a fit note then do not apply to ESA until you have.

Good luck

epitome

Yes do the claim to ESA over the phone, much easier, and easy to backdate a claim to ESA, if you didn't do it today.

Not so easy to backdate a claim to JSA,

As suggested above you could claim both JSA and ESA and then choose which one to go ahead with at a later date, (probably neither one will pay out whilst you are applying for both, but when you choose which one you are going for then that one will pay up from the start of the claim) after speaking to your Dr....to confirm the Dr will be happy to givve you sick notes ongoing for a few months...

janat12

Thanks both of you for your much needed help.

No, I didn't ring to make a claim today because, frankly I'm scared ..... I know it sounds pathetic, but apart from JSA I've never had to do anything like this before. I've worked all my life since leaving school, was made redundant through no fault of my own, and now find that I'm scared that the beurocrats will think I'm a waster, when I know I'm not, just having a hellish year.

Thanks for the information guys.

jobseeking_help

janat12 wrote: »

Thanks both of you for your much needed help.

No, I didn't ring to make a claim today because, frankly I'm scared ..... I know it sounds pathetic, but apart from JSA I've never had to do anything like this before. I've worked all my life since leaving school, was made redundant through no fault of my own, and now find that I'm scared that the beurocrats will think I'm a waster, when I know I'm not, just having a hellish year.

Thanks for the information guys.

Janat

Don't want to alarm you unnecessarily ... however. Have you informed JCP of p/t work ? If you haven't and you leave the job immediately all's OK so long as you don't volunteer info to JCP. Can still be sanctioned for voluntarily leaving even a p/t job. ( Yes I know she's supposed to declare any earnings - I can already hear the MSE boy scouts )

If you have informed the jobcentre of p/t work and you want to leave it may be a good idea to get GP fit note as evidence ( just make sure not for more than 2 weeks otherwise JCP staff may try and force you onto ESA )

All the best

janat12

jobseeking_help wrote: »

Janat

Don't want to alarm you unnecessarily ... however. Have you informed JCP of p/t work ? If you haven't and you leave the job immediately all's OK so long as you don't volunteer info to JCP. Can still be sanctioned for voluntarily leaving even a p/t job. ( Yes I know she's supposed to declare any earnings - I can already hear the MSE boy scouts )

If you have informed the jobcentre of p/t work and you want to leave it may be a good idea to get GP fit note as evidence ( just make sure not for more than 2 weeks otherwise JCP staff may try and force you onto ESA )

All the best

Yes, I was told I'd got the job at 10am last Friday, and rang JCP at 10.30.
I'm sure I'll get a fit note from my doctor next Thursday, but now I'm confused as to whether I should try to get back on to JSA first and hope that I'm not sanctioned then move on to ESA, or ask to go straight on to ESA ?

robotrobo

janat12 wrote: »

Hi. I'll try to be brief.

My question is (finally), I have to wait until next Thursday(20th) to see my GP, would you advise me to ask to go back on to JSA until my GP appointment, or perhaps apply straight away for ESA as I have no other income ?

i cannot advise you how to get benefits !, but reading between the lines you are a genuine case & get on the nash as soon as possible as it seems you are clearly not fit to hold a job down at the mo.
best of luck.
mr bean

jobseeking_help

janat12 wrote: »

Yes, I was told I'd got the job at 10am last Friday, and rang JCP at 10.30.
I'm sure I'll get a fit note from my doctor next Thursday, but now I'm confused as to whether I should try to get back on to JSA first and hope that I'm not sanctioned then move on to ESA, or ask to go straight on to ESA ?

Janat

Sorry but I am confused when you write 'get back on JSA '.

Have you signed anything with JCP to state you are working 16 hours p/w or more ? If not then you should still have a live claim for JSA - again hopefully you have not failed to attend any JCP appts for more than 5 working days.

If you want to go onto ESA and you still have a live claim for JSA then go into the jobcentre and get them to help you complete the ES40 ( little signing on book ) so they can close your claim the day after your next signing day ( even if on that day you do not have to attend as it's over Christmas ). Then that day after your next signing you start your claim for ESA - if not sure ask in the jobcentre.

All the best

janat12

jobseeking help

No, I haven't physically signed anything with JCP regarding working 16+ hours, but was told on the phone when I informed them that I was starting the job that they would sign me off JSA over the phone without me having to come in to the office.
On Wednesday I received a letter from them informing me that the last payment I would receive was £42 JSA for last Thursday Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Sorry if I'm being a pain - I'm confused dot com too !

Hindsight is a wonderful thing ....... maybe I shouldn't have jumped the gun and informed JSP straight away, but I didn't want to deceive.


Ps ........ anyone any suggestions as to how to get the employer to pay me the two days pay they owe me ? ( 10hrs @ minimum wage )