Off sick - fractured ankle help

tinkerbellkirst

Hi,

My partner has recently fractured his ankle in a sports injury. He doesn't get sick pay from work and as this is going be a few weeks off sick job I'm wondering if anyone can help on whether he can claim anything other than SSP as this is major drop from his earnings and I have no idea how we will pay all the bills.

I work as well part time but don't earn as much as him and can't do any overtime.

We do have insurance for him for accident sickness and unemployment but I'm thinking in case they don't pay where does it leave us.

He is 27 and we have 2 young children.

Thanks

pmlindyloo

if he is not entitled to SSP then his employer will need to complete a form saying why he isn't and then he can apply for Employment Support Allowance. He will need Fit notes from the doctors.

See link:

https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/eligibility

If he has been working and paid NI contributions for the past two tax years then he will be entitled to contribution based ESA. Your income and joint savings will not affect this. If he doesn't qualify for contribution based then he can apply for income based ESA but joint savings and your income will be taken into account.

You may be eligible for Housing Benefit and Council Tax support during this time.

However, you must check whether you are entitled to any insurance for this. Read your contract carefully. For any means tested benefits any insurance money will affect them.

How long is he likely to be off? Claiming benefits may take a while so you will need to make contingency plans. Any savings? Kind family/friends?

If you are liable to default on any payments then let your creditors know what is happening. They are usually helpful for a short term problem which I hope it will be. In fact, just use whatever money you have for essentials and worry about the rest later.

Are you receiving tax credits? CB, tax credits and your salary will see you through, hopefully.

tinkerbellkirst

Thanks for the reply. He is eligable for SSP. Have checked the insurance and he can claim as far as I can see but there's a deferred period of 30 days on it.

We get some tax credits but very minimal amount and it just covers child care for the kids with us putting some towards it. We own our house so housing benefit not applicable to us either. We do have some savings which I think we may need to dip into, his parents have said they will help us out if needs be.

I have a small business also alongside my employed job so hoping to get some extra work drummed up through that to help pay some bills.
Possibly thinking of asking for a mortgage holiday for just one month, is this possible? Our mortgage and car are our main outgoings so may ask for a month break on the car too but not convinced they will agree. We have never defaulted any payments on anything before so hoping creditors will be happy to help us out just for a month.

pmlindyloo

tinkerbellkirst wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. He is eligable for SSP. Have checked the insurance and he can claim as far as I can see but there's a deferred period of 30 days on it.

We get some tax credits but very minimal amount and it just covers child care for the kids with us putting some towards it. We own our house so housing benefit not applicable to us either. We do have some savings which I think we may need to dip into, his parents have said they will help us out if needs be.

I have a small business also alongside my employed job so hoping to get some extra work drummed up through that to help pay some bills.
Possibly thinking of asking for a mortgage holiday for just one month, is this possible? Our mortgage and car are our main outgoings so may ask for a month break on the car too but not convinced they will agree. We have never defaulted any payments on anything before so hoping creditors will be happy to help us out just for a month.

Most creditors are very helpful especially when you keep them informed so phone and ask.

Glad you have a contingency plan!

Horseunderwater

Claim on the illness insurance now - the fact that any payment is deferred for 30 days is not relevant. Speak to your lender (mortgage) and tell them now what has happened - this is essential outgoing. A car loan is not, but you need to tell them anyway.
How do you pay for utilites? If by Direct debit then you might be in credit, so worth talking to them too. Now might be a good time to review your budget, but if you need to you'll have to dip into your savings. At least you do have some. When it happened to me I did not. Was on SSP for 28 weeks, so you can imagine the debt I racked up. Still paying it back now. Oh and make sure you pay the council tax and TV license as these are also essential outgoings.

tinkerbellkirst

Thanks again for the replies.

Does anyone know if he asks at work to do office work whether they have a kind of duty to give him some alternate work if he requests it if it is reasonable to do so?

He has a week holiday booked in 3 days, well about 10 days so trying to weigh up if its best for him to go on the sick now or wait until after tht as at least he will get full pay for over a week and then SSP the following weeks that he needs. This will help but obviously the insurance may not pay out until he is on the sick. He may be able to bring another holiday week forwards to get paid then too. Luckily all our bills have just gone out so don't need to worry about them for another month now and hopefully he will be almost healed by then.

This is more stressful than I imagined!! I get sick pay so I don't usually have to worry if I'm ever ill.

Thanks