Ill Health Retirement and PILON

Jojo1510

Hi, hope there is someone out there who can help me...


I was a civil servant of 28 years and have been finished on Ill Health Grounds (Upper Tier). I was advised in May that I qualified for 3 months PILON as I have done a minimum 10 years service and my official end date would be the 27/08/2018. I have now just been informed that I will not receive a PILON payment as I have been awarded IHR from 28/08/18?
Surely this is not right, I have done the required amount of time to qualify for PILON and regardless of what I have been awarded I should still qualify for this payment?
I'm awaiting a call back from the shared services department and have also notified the Union, but I thought if there is anyone out there who could prompt me before I speak to them, it would be greatly appreciated.

[Deleted User]

I suspect that the elapsed time between being advised of the decision (May) and the end of August, is actually the 'notice period. Presumably you were paid your usual salary during this period?

A similar thing happened to me a couple of years ago - I was advised in August and given a termination date of November, basically on 'gardening leave' for three months.

Jojo1510

Hi, i was on NIL pay. I asked about when I would receive this payment and they told me when i finish? They are now backtracking.

Thanks for responding 😊

Terry_Towelling

Sorry to hear of your health problems. Hope that things are bearable going forward.

Sounds like they have got everything wrong. Is it all in writing? Far from getting paid in lieu of notice it looks like they actually gave you the 12-weeks notice in May but failed to pay you whilst you served it! So, if you did get the required notice, all they actually owe you is payment for that period - which is the same amount as PILON would have been but a completely different thing.

If, on the other hand, nothing is clearly stated in writing you might be able to make a case for your missing salary and a PILON on your date of dismissal in August.

What documents did they give you back in May?

Jojo1510

Hi, I haven’t had any documentation, only from pensions. My team leader has advised I’ll receive a letter in the morning but its basic, just confirming my leaver date and pension. For a government department, its been quite shoddy. I thought they should have paid me whilst serving the notice, they don’t seem to know what they are doing at all.

squirrelpie

Why did they tell you they were stopping paying you? And was it in writing? Did you receive any payslips (maybe electronically?) or a P45 or any such?


Unless you chose to stop work, it's my understanding they will have to dismiss you for reason of inability to do your work. They should continue to pay you until they dismiss you and they will have to pay you during your notice or give you PILON instead. Have you been given notice of dismissal?


It sounds like it would help you to have some assistance, perhaps from your union or perhaps even from local HR personnel (they would likely understand the rules and how to apply them better than your team leader or the shared services staff).


PS if they really have treated you as shoddily as it appears, you should come out ahead once the mess is sorted out. Pay up until the day they give you notice, then PILON, and pension as agreed. And don't be shy of asking for some compensation for the worry!

Jojo1510

Hi, my 6 months half pay ended in march so i was on NIL pay. I wasn’t dismissed, they supported my application for IHR and once it was awarded they then advised me I qualified for 3month PILON up to 27/8/18. When i asked when I would be paid for this they then said at the end of the 3months notice. I received a payslip confirming NIL pay apart from that it was word of mouth from my Team Leader. I kept asking him for it in writing but he said there was no requirement ‘as per guidance’.

Terry_Towelling

Jojo1510 wrote: »

Hi, my 6 months half pay ended in march so i was on NIL pay. I wasn’t dismissed, they supported my application for IHR and once it was awarded they then advised me I qualified for 3month PILON up to 27/8/18. When i asked when I would be paid for this they then said at the end of the 3months notice. I received a payslip confirming NIL pay apart from that it was word of mouth from my Team Leader. I kept asking him for it in writing but he said there was no requirement ‘as per guidance’.

Oh, that bit of new information alters things quite substantially. Right, so it looks like you weren't at work due to your ill health (is that right?) and after a certain period of absence, your salary dropped to half pay (quite normal, I believe) and after that period ended your salary dropped to zero because you still weren't able to come back to work (is that right?).

In May you were told you'd be retired on ill-health grounds and given an end date (12 weeks in the future - your notice period) and you finished a few days ago.

So, I'm not sure how the PILON could ever fit into the equation now, because your salary had already dropped to zero due to being unable to work for so long (if that is what happened) and you had been given the required notice period.

I don't think you'll get anything out of this now (other than your pension) but you may be able to kick up a bit of a stink about the mis-information you were given.

Jojo1510

Hi, I’ve just had it confirmed as you said. As i was on Nil pay, I don’t qualify for the payment. Can’t deny feel a bit let down, after 28 years service expected better... silly me.
I received a letter today, the first confirming the award (even though i got it in may) and that pensions will be in touch (which they have over the last few months). It also says to get in touch with them if i have any enquiries but no name, address or contact number on the letter, very basic. For a government department, its shocking. I will be sending a complaint in, not that expect to get anywhere.
Thanks for responding, and thanks to all.

Terry_Towelling

Jojo1510 wrote: »

Hi, I’ve just had it confirmed as you said. As i was on Nil pay, I don’t qualify for the payment. Can’t deny feel a bit let down, after 28 years service expected better... silly me.
I received a letter today, the first confirming the award (even though i got it in may) and that pensions will be in touch (which they have over the last few months). It also says to get in touch with them if i have any enquiries but no name, address or contact number on the letter, very basic. For a government department, its shocking. I will be sending a complaint in, not that expect to get anywhere.
Thanks for responding, and thanks to all.

Shoddy admin and HR practice - I'm sure that will ring true for many people working in the public sector. I wish you all the luck in the world (well, not all of it because I need a bit too) and I think you are right to complain about the poor administration of your situation.