Medical Retirement question for my mum.

weesie81

Hello I have tried searching but cannot find any answers to my question.
My mum has worked for the local authority for the past 20 years and had a hip replacement in Dec 2016.
The op did not go well and she has been left worse off than before she had the surgery with even less mobility now. She has not been back to work since, she had 6 months full pay and then 6 months half and now nothing.
She went to citizens advice and has been told she is entitled to zero help at all as she was only working 15 hours per week before so no national insurance stamps paid.
I am so frustrated for her and wish I could help, she had a meeting at work today where they suggested she take medical retirement.... she is 62 and has not paid into any private pension scheme so would she be able to collect her state pension if she took this route?
Any help would be appreciated thanks.

Torry_Quine

weesie81 wrote: »

Hello I have tried searching but cannot find any answers to my question.
My mum has worked for the local authority for the past 20 years and had a hip replacement in Dec 2016.
The op did not go well and she has been left worse off than before she had the surgery with even less mobility now. She has not been back to work since, she had 6 months full pay and then 6 months half and now nothing.
She went to citizens advice and has been told she is entitled to zero help at all as she was only working 15 hours per week before so no national insurance stamps paid.
I am so frustrated for her and wish I could help, she had a meeting at work today where they suggested she take medical retirement.... she is 62 and has not paid into any private pension scheme so would she be able to collect her state pension if she took this route?
Any help would be appreciated thanks.

She is too young for her state pension, I think its 63 at the moment. Dependent on other income/savings she may be able to get income based ESA. Also if she has care and or mobility needs she could apply for Personal Indepence payment. She neeeds to have had the needs for 3 months and expected to have for the next 9 months, This may help

https://www.gov.uk/pip/eligibility

weesie81

Thanks for the link I will check it out.
I am sure PIP is one of the ones she has already been turned down for as well as DLA and another one I can't remember off the top of my head.
Citizens advice have appealed on her behalf but that was also refused, she has almost no savings as she has been using them since she was on half pay and now no pay.
So 63 for her pension is another year away, not sure she could make it that long with no help.

Torry_Quine

weesie81 wrote: »

Thanks for the link I will check it out.
I am sure PIP is one of the ones she has already been turned down for as well as DLA and another one I can't remember off the top of my head.
Citizens advice have appealed on her behalf but that was also refused, she has almost no savings as she has been using them since she was on half pay and now no pay.
So 63 for her pension is another year away, not sure she could make it that long with no help.

If her money is low, I presume she's on her own, then she could as I said claim income based ESA. To start the process she just needs a fit-note from her GP. Is she still employed as her employer should give her an SSP1 form

https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/eligibility

anmarj

weesie81 wrote: »

So 63 for her pension is another year away, not sure she could make it that long with no help.

You would be better checking when her actual State Pension age is as it moves all the time, it may not be 63 for her, it may be later

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age

weesie81

Thanks for your replies I just checked and her state pension is when she is 66 years old so not until 2021 so I assume she cannot collect this until then even with medical retirement?

Also sorry no she is not on her own she has a partner who she lives with and he works full time but they are not married.

Torry_Quine

weesie81 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies I just checked and her state pension is when she is 66 years old so not until 2021 so I assume she cannot collect this until then even with medical retirement?

Also sorry no she is not on her own she has a partner who she lives with and he works full time but they are not married.

No she won't be able to collect her pension until then. She won't be eligible for income based ESA then as his income means they have too much to get it.

[Deleted User]

I'm surprised her SRP is at 66 as I'm 58 and mine is that?
She may have applied to early for PIP as you need to need it for a certain length of time, 12 months if I recall.
She should go back to CAB or simlar and get some better advice.

greenglide

Has she not been in the Local Government Pension scheme? I assume that on just 15 hours it will always optional but this would give access to their ill health benefits.

Teaandscones

I think they are referring to medical retirement regarding the LGPS. If she has been contributing to the LGPS, then a medical retirement would give her an LGPS pension from now based on her service already made (and assuming they accept she is not likely to work again before SPA) also on service up to age 66 without any actuarial reduction.

This is entirely separate from the state pension.

hyubh

weesie81 wrote: »

My mum has worked for the local authority for the past 20 years and had a hip replacement in Dec 2016.

[...]

she had a meeting at work today where they suggested she take medical retirement.... she is 62 and has not paid into any private pension scheme

If she is not an LGPS member, this would be because she had explicitly opted out (whoops) - you've got to go beyond 20 years before people on 15 hours a week weren't eligible. Ill health retirements in the LGPS are explained here:

http://lgpsmember.org/tol/thinking-leaving-illhealth.php

If she hasn't mentioned claiming an LGPS pension even normally, then this would imply she did indeed opt out.