I can't get any financial help

Sjgannon

Hello everyone, hope you are well?
Can anyone offer me any advice?
I will try to keep it short, I am in the at risk category and work in a kitchen within a care home. My employer emailed their staff and gave anyone in the at risk category the option to self isolate for 12 weeks on stat sick pay. I have not been in my current job long enough to get stat sick pay. I have now been told that I cannot get universal credit or ESA. I left my old job and did not work my full 4 weeks notice, so I am reluctant to ask them if they can furlough me (if I can do that?) I feel my only option is to go back to work. Has anyone got any advice please? 

sharpe106

You could ask old employer for furlough but I would doubt very much they would as you did not work your notice.  Why can you not get UC?

Sjgannon

I signed into my UC account and they have made the decision I think because of my husbands income. I applied for UC and ESA and they have minused that based on what my husband earnt last month. Last month my husband worked extra shifts so his wage was a little higher than normal around 1500 before tax. 

poppy12345

Have you received the NHS letter advising you to shield for 12 weeks?

Sjgannon

No not had a letter. My employer emailed back in March saying those who were at the time in the at risk category could isolate on ssp. I have diabetes and a bmi over 40. So I have isolated since but then got an email from my employer about 2 weeks later saying they can't give me ssp. 

sharpe106

Also how long have you been there for? Was not aware was a minimum time in employment for SSP.

Sjgannon

Around 4/5 weeks but I'd had 5 days off sick a couple of weeks after I started. So was told I hadn't earnt enough. 

calcotti

Sjgannon said:....I have not been in my current job long enough to get stat sick pay.

If you have have done any work for your employer you are entitled to SSP if your rate of pay is over £120/week. There is no qualifying time period. Possibly your previous days off has reduced your average weekly wage to below £120.

poppy12345

Sjgannon said:

No not had a letter.

Then you are shielding because you chose to do so and i'm unsure if you're entitled to SSP because of that.

calcotti

poppy12345 said:

Sjgannon said:

No not had a letter.

Then you are shielding because you chose to do so and i'm unsure if you're entitled to SSP because of that.

No they're not - in those circumstances it isn't 'shielding'.

poppy12345

calcotti said:

poppy12345 said:

Sjgannon said:

No not had a letter.

Then you are shielding because you chose to do so and i'm unsure if you're entitled to SSP because of that.

No they're not - in those circumstances it isn't 'shielding'.

Self isolating through choice then? So not entitled to SSP?