Why is there no help??

thetaylorclan

Hi, I don't know if I am posting in the right place but I'm sure you guys can help me.

My husband received a letter from hospital two days ago giving him an appointment for 31st May for surgery on his shoulder (clavicle/collarbone) to have it pinned/plated because after 8 months it is still broken!

He is currently out of his company's sick pay scheme so will only be entitled to SSP of I believe £86 per week. Hi normal earnings are approx. £1400 per month. I do not work and we have three children, aged 10, 6 and 4.

Because he will have to notify work, his wages for next month will only consist of SSP. Our rent is due to be paid on that day and we wont have enough (nowhere near) to pay it.

We already get housing benefit which is due to be paid this Friday, then again on 24th June. There is currently too little being paid to us to cover the rent or even put some aside for it.

Husband gets paid on 15th June, then Housing Benefit will get hi wage slip to prove SSP and then recalculate benefit claim accordingly but may not be done in time for the 24th.

Tax credits said claim will not change at all if husband goes on to SSP.

Husband spoke to his company today and appealed to HR, saying he obviously needs the operation but cannot afford the time off to have it, they said the rules are the rules and they cannot help us.

My husband is considering cancelling his much needed operation because no-one can help us!

Can anyone here advise me??

Thanks, Rachel

Dogger69

Is there a reason why you do not work? That would seem the obvious answer.

thetaylorclan

No, except for the fact that I chose to be a stay at home mum

Dogger69

thetaylorclan wrote: »

No, except for the fact that I chose to be a stay at home mum

In which case you cannot complain when you are short of money, the state does not have the money to finance your lifestyle choice.

Could you look for some temping work, or cleaning or bar work?

thetaylorclan

I had applied for a job at my local pre-school as a childcare assistant but the start date of the post is 4 days after my husbands operation is scheduled but would still not solve the problem of not being able to pay the rent for June, beyond that I would hope things would sort themselves out.
I truly want my husband to have the operation he needs but he is more concerned about being unable to meet the rent

sammyjammy

I don't mean to add to your worries but when you say that he is out of the company scheme do you mean he has had the benefit that was due? If so then his employer may have been receiving SSP from the treasury as part of those payments. SSP is only paid for a period of 28 weeks overall so you need to find out how much more is due.

Do you have an estimate on how long he will need off work?
Can Housing Benefit not accept a statement from his employer as to what that pay statement would say in advance?
Can you borrow from family at all as a short term measure?

Dogger69

thetaylorclan wrote: »

I had applied for a job at my local pre-school as a childcare assistant but the start date of the post is 4 days after my husbands operation is scheduled but would still not solve the problem of not being able to pay the rent for June, beyond that I would hope things would sort themselves out.
I truly want my husband to have the operation he needs but he is more concerned about being unable to meet the rent

This is why I suggested agency work, or other work that would attract an earlier pay date.

sammyjammy

You mention Housing Benefit, does that mean you are in social housing? If that's the case then going one month in arrears for part of the rent won't do any lasting damage or cause you any major hassles as a one off.

Were you aware that the op was pending and necessary? How were you planning to manage?

Okydoky25

Dogger69 wrote: »

In which case you cannot complain when you are short of money, the state does not have the money to finance your lifestyle choice.

Could you look for some temping work, or cleaning or bar work?

Slightly blinkered. If I went to work I wouldn't cover the childcare!

Granted the OP could poss find some temp work to cover her husbands absence but then will he be capable of looking after them while recouporating and let's face it there plenty of competition for any job the op goes for so at short notice would she be likely to even get one?

Regarding savings hindsights a great thing and even if they had it could they have afforded to save!?

nannytone_2

if his SSP runs out he could claim ESA instead

thetaylorclan

sammyjammy, he will need either 6 weeks or 3 months depending on whether they shave the bone or plate the bone, he was removed from the sick scheme in August last year when he broke his collarbone, and he was 1 week away from being eligible for full sick pay again. As for the amount of sick pay left, I am unsure as he was off for about 12 weeks at the time.
I thought about a statement from the employer too but it still would not be paid in time, rent is meant to be paid on 15th but housing benefit due on 24th