Little advice MUCH Apprecitated. :)

claireda

Hi, This is my very first post and I hope someone can help me to put my Dads mind at rest a little at least just for tonight.
My Dad has found out today that he is going to be made redundant from his managers job( he has really been asked to leave and sign a contract watched by a solicitor because I think the company are aware they have treated him wrongly and could be in serious trouble for it). He is going to be paid 8 weeks wages.
He is 59 years old and has paid into several different private pensions all this working life and I believe they are quite reasonable.
I honestly believe if he had the fight in him he could take action against this company however this is not the right time to do this as my mother is terminally ill and he would actually appreciate the time at home to care for her.
Now come all the questions and I do apologize

Can he claim his pension at 59? what will his options be?
Would he get any kind of carers allowance as my mother does have a DS1500 and gets high rate disability living allowance?
Does anyone have any advice for him at all?

I know really he should speak to his pension company and citizens advice etc but I was hoping that I could give him a few ideas from here to stop him from worrying so much.


MANY thanks

Southend1

Is he a union member? If so, his union would be a good port of call for advice as well as citizens advice and the pension providers.

claireda

unfortunately he is not a union member, thank you for the thought

Mojisola

claireda wrote: »

Hi, This is my very first post and I hope someone can help me to put my Dads mind at rest a little at least just for tonight.
My Dad has found out today that he is going to be made redundant from his managers job( he has really been asked to leave and sign a contract watched by a solicitor because I think the company are aware they have treated him wrongly and could be in serious trouble for it). He is going to be paid 8 weeks wages.
He is 59 years old and has paid into several different private pensions all this working life and I believe they are quite reasonable.
I honestly believe if he had the fight in him he could take action against this company however this is not the right time to do this as my mother is terminally ill and he would actually appreciate the time at home to care for her.

Unless the advice from the agencies Southend1 mentions advise him to fight it, look on this as an opportunity arriving at the right time. Time spent with his wife now will be priceless.

He should be able to claim Carer's Allowance but it would be worth having a general benefits check for both of them before deciding whether to take pensions, etc.

Mojisola

claireda wrote: »

he has really been asked to leave and sign a contract watched by a solicitor because I think the company are aware they have treated him wrongly and could be in serious trouble for it

I wouldn't sign under these conditions without the contract being previously checked by my own solicitor.

claireda

I agree it is an opportunity arriving at the right time. In the long run I think he would look for a part time job but at present I think he just wishes to be at home. I just dont want him to worry about work, we have talked with my mum tonight and the general feeling is a positive one. I feel angry as this company will get away with the way they have treated him but at the moment he is not strong enough to make a fight against them.
I did tell him I expected he could claim carers allowance but I have no idea regarding anything else..... its so confusing

thanks for the comments

Mojisola

There's a DIY benefit checker here -
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/benefits-check

claireda

Mojisola wrote: »

I wouldn't sign under these conditions without the contract being previously checked by my own solicitor.

I totally agree! I think they wish to do it this way so he can not do anything about they way they treated him in future.

Mojisola

claireda wrote: »

I totally agree! I think they wish to do it this way so he can not do anything about they way they treated him in future.

No doubt! They are looking after their own interests and he needs someone on his side to make sure they aren't taking advantage of him while he's trying to cope with his wife's illness.

claireda

Mojisola wrote: »

No doubt! They are looking after their own interests and he needs someone on his side to make sure they aren't taking advantage of him while he's trying to cope with his wife's illness.

They have done some really unfair things to him. They have been threatening to get rid of him for 6 months which he could have done without.
They demoted him from a manager, to assistant manager, to foreman to receptionist changing his wages all the time without good reason while still expecting him to deal with month ending figure/staffing/most management duties.
They got rid of the receptionist then took a new one on but made him take a £4000 pay cut to contribute towards her wages without his agreement or HR involvement. His contract still to this day has not changed from that of a manager.
A new manager has taken over in the last few weeks and I think they have realized he could have grounds for a serious complaint so want rid with this sneaky contract so he cant say anything, and they are doing it at a time he is extremely vulnerable and unlikely to fight back!!
When he took this managers job 7 years ago the place was in debt he turned it around and now is being treated like this

Just to add this is a very well known firm too

claireda

Just to add, ive done the benefit checker and it looks quite positive, Ive rang and told him and he sounded quite happy with it ... Thanks for the help