Benefit Entitlement Help Needed Please

HuniB123

Firstly apologies if this has been asked before (cant see anything relating to my circumstances)

In the last 18 months I’ve had a few family bereavements, My mum, my father in law, my daughter who died at the beginning of the year and then 6 weeks later I found my dad deceased.

I THOUGHT I was coping but it’s become increasingly obvious that I’m not which has effected my work. I have had a meeting about my forgetfulness and conduct in general. Due to the stress levels, anxiety attacks, etc I have decided to resign as I can’t continue working the way I am and I need to practice some self care. I leave at the beginning of December.

My GP has diagnosed me with anxiety and depression, prescribed some medication and is agreement that I need some time out, therefore has signed me off for my notice period.

So with this in mind does anyone know what benefits I can claim please, if any. (We have one child a teen living at home,) When can I start claiming?

Thanks in advance.

Rubyroobs

Will you have exhausted any sick leave/ pay available to you. Do you have a partner and do they work ? Do you pay rent ? Any entitlement to means tested benefits would depend on the above. You may be able to claim new style ESA if you have paid sufficient NI contributions but I think you would have needed to exhaust all SSP first.

poppy12345

HuniB123 wrote: »

Due to the stress levels, anxiety attacks, etc I have decided to resign as I can’t continue working the way I am and I need to practice some self care. I leave at the beginning of December.

.

Did you claim SSP for 28 weeks before you resigned?

HuniB123

Rubyroobs wrote: »

Will you have exhausted any sick leave/ pay available to you. Do you have a partner and do they work ? Do you pay rent ? Any entitlement to means tested benefits would depend on the above. You may be able to claim new style ESA if you have paid sufficient NI contributions but I think you would have needed to exhaust all SSP first.

I would get SSP until I leave I guess, my partner works and gets just over £300 per week. We have a private rent of £600 per month, plus council tax etc

poppy12345

You really shouldn't have resigned because SSP is payable for 28 weeks. Resigning could affect your entitlement to benefits and you could be sanctioned for this. Others will advise further, i'm sure.

Alice_Holt

The benefits that you might look at include:
New Style ESA (as mentioned) - https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-esa
This is not means tested, but depends on NI contributions in the last two years.
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/start-the-esa-test;

PIP - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/
This also is not means tested, but depends on how your condition affects your day to day life and ability to do the PIP activities: https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-self-test

Council Tax reduction - https://www.gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction
This is means tested - to apply contact your local council

Are you receiving Tax Credits for your child? If so make them aware of your change in circumstance.

Put your details into a benefits calculator -
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
https://www.betteroffcalculator.co.uk/#/login

Universal Credit may be payable - as you rent. Check with the calculators above.
This is means tested - but you need to very sure you would be better off before you make a claim as it will end any existing Tax Credits claim.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/

I would suggest a visit to Citizens Advice or your local advice agency after you have looked at the above, for some face to face advice and information.

11krage

As others have said, your resignation may exclude you from certain benefits. Putting this aside for a moment, depending on your partners earnings, any other money you have coming into the house, and your savings / capital (such as whether you own property other than that you live in) you may be eligible for universal credit.

Resigning from a job doesn't necessarily mean a blanket no from UC. If you're upfront with them why you left your job, and preferably provide evidence of the bereavements and health conditions that lead to you quitting your job it should go to a decision maker. The decision maker will either decide under the circumstances you shouldn't be penalized for quitting as you had no other choice, or they'd decide not to accept your reasons for quitting in which case your UC claim would be sanctioned. Sanctioned means you'd receive less UC element, but would still be allocated some.

I have seen reasons for quitting jobs being accepted. So it can happen.

Your other choices are new style ESA. You can even claim both UC and new style ESA, but anything you receive from ESA would be deducted from the UC claim.

There's also PIP. However this is for long term disabilities only, so there's not much point applying for it until you've had severe health issues (including mental health ones) for nine months. I do hope your issues get better so you don't need to rely on any of the above for too long.

Alice_Holt

11krage wrote: »

There's also PIP. However this is for long term disabilities only, so there's not much point applying for it until you've had severe health issues (including mental health ones) for nine months.

For PIP it is 3 months (as the backward test) not 9 months - "have found these things hard for 3 months and expect it to continue for another 9 months" from the Citizens Advice site.
As the OP has written "my daughter died at the beginning of the year and then 6 weeks later I found my dad deceased.", it is very possible he would meet this 3 months test.

OP - I would suggest getting some help with the PIP form (face to face if possible).
This could be useful info for you:
https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/rights-restrictions/money-benefits-and-employment/personal-independence-payment-pip/
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/831253/PIP-assessment-guide-part-2-the_assessment-criteria.pdf

In terms of sequence (and this is just a suggestion, others might have better info) - I would have thought :
PIP
New Style ESA (when your employment and SSP is about to end)
Council Tax reduction (if eligible and when your household income reduces as employment ends)
Establish if you have any eligibility to UC (and hence help with rental costs - again when your household income reduces).

Good luck

calcotti

poppy12345 wrote: »

You really shouldn't have resigned because SSP is payable for 28 weeks. Resigning could affect your entitlement to benefits and you could be sanctioned for this. Others will advise further, i'm sure.

11krage wrote: »

Resigning from a job doesn't necessarily mean a blanket no from UC. If you're upfront with them why you left your job, and preferably provide evidence of the bereavements and health conditions that lead to you quitting your job it should go to a decision maker. The decision maker will either decide under the circumstances you shouldn't be penalized for quitting as you had no other choice, or they'd decide not to accept your reasons for quitting in which case your UC claim would be sanctioned. Sanctioned means you'd receive less UC element, but would still be allocated some.

It would make more sense to exhaust SSP first (but an employer can make this difficult), however I think they will not be be sanctioned if they have a Fit Note.

calcotti

11krage wrote: »

There's also PIP. However this is for long term disabilities only, so there's not much point applying for it until you've had severe health issues (including mental health ones) for nine months. I do hope your issues get better so you don't need to rely on any of the above for too long.

I do not agree with the advice not to claim PIP for nine months. The criteria are that before you can be entitled to receive PIP you must have been affected by your health for three months and expect this to continue for at least another nine months. Given that how long an illness may last is not known in advance it makes sense to claim sooner rather than later. One can claim before the initial three months have elapsed but then the award, when eventually made, will start from the date three months after the health impact started rather than from the date the claim was made.

calcotti

Alice_Holt wrote: »

In terms of sequence (and this is just a suggestion, others might have better info) - I would have thought :
PIP
New Style ESA (when your employment and SSP is about to end)
Council Tax reduction (if eligible and when your household income reduces as employment ends)
Establish if you have any eligibility to UC (and hence help with rental costs - again when your household income reduces).

For the avoidance doubt, claiming new style ESA depends on not being entitled to SSP. It can be claimed while still employed provided the 28 week SSP entitlement has ended. (Alice, I know that you know this but I just thought your wording could be misinterpreted.)

UC can be claimed immediately if a benefit calculator indicates there could be entitlement, although given partner’s earnings that looks unlikely immediately while OP receives SSP (unless there are children). However if there would be entitlement if the LCWRA is included than they should apply anyway, with a Fit Note so that they can start a WCA process.

OP, you need to be aware that the help with your rent is limited by the Local Housing Allowance for your area - you can find this here https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/. If you are a couple without children you will be entitled to the one bedroom rate as a maximum regardless of how many bedrooms you actually have.