Can I leave my job due to mental health issues?

yolly03

I have emotionally unstable personality disorder and have been signed off work for 3 months so far. I don't really find that I fit in to conventional work places, I end up having time off sick and always feel like I'm letting my team down, which has a detrimental effect on my mental health when I'm already not well. I am very creative and and think I would be better mentally being self employed. I can't see myself going back to work as it is far too much for me. Can I leave now and get help from DWP to go self employed? Or, would I need to wait until my employer terminates my employment after being off sick for 6 months?
Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

GHolmesAdmin

I think you will probably find yourself being 'managed out' after six months which is not a nice thing to go through, my advice is to refuse to attend any meetings you are summoned to because you are 'too sick'. I'm sure others will have something much more useful to offer.

oh_really

The above will most likely result in the disciplinary process starting and possibly completing in your absence without any input from yourself.

Are you in a union?

pmlindyloo

yolly03 said:

I have emotionally unstable personality disorder and have been signed off work for 3 months so far. I don't really find that I fit in to conventional work places, I end up having time off sick and always feel like I'm letting my team down, which has a detrimental effect on my mental health when I'm already not well. I am very creative and and think I would be better mentally being self employed. I can't see myself going back to work as it is far too much for me. Can I leave now and get help from DWP to go self employed? Or, would I need to wait until my employer terminates my employment after being off sick for 6 months?
Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

I am sorry to hear that you are not feeling well.  Are you receiving any kind of treatment to help with your mental health?
As regards claiming benefits now or later...............
1. What are your personal circumstances?  Are you single/partner/children/ renting/own house/do you have savings?
2.  What money are you currently receiving from your employer?  SSP?  Contractual sick pay?
Basically, you might be able to claim some benefits but this will depend on your personal circumstances.  It could be that you are better off financially waiting until you are dismissed and use that time to explore self employed options.
You could try putting your personal details into a benefits calculator (if you do not wish to disclose on this forum) - www.entitledto.co uk - to find out what possible benefits you could claim.  
Usually you would be sanctioned for leaving a job but if you could provide evidence that you were mentally unfit to continue working at your present job then it is possible that no sanctions would apply.
If you don't mind 'sharing' then we could provide more information. 

yolly03

Thank you for all your responses.  My partner is self employed and we own our house. We do receive a small amount of universal credit and I am in receipt of SSP. I've been growing succulents in the garden and propigating them also, it keeps me calm and I don't have to deal with anyone when I don't feel like it. I don't think I'm fit to go through a tribunal either. If I left work now would I have to speak to my doctor to give DWP proof? I was also recieving councilling before COVID-19, but that all stopped unfortunately, leaving me less able to cope. Then my condition started getting worse with role changes, medication changes etc during COVID-19.  But how I'm feeling now has been a reoccurring pattern through my working life. I start off in a new job with fake it till you make it confidence, then I get a knock and it's all downhill from there. It always feels like everything starts to unravel.

calcotti

yolly03 said:

Thank you for all your responses.  My partner is self employed and we own our house. We do receive a small amount of universal credit and I am in receipt of SSP. I've been growing succulents in the garden and propigating them also, it keeps me calm and I don't have to deal with anyone when I don't feel like it. I don't think I'm fit to go through a tribunal either. If I left work now would I have to speak to my doctor to give DWP proof? I was also recieving councilling before COVID-19, but that all stopped unfortunately, leaving me less able to cope. Then my condition started getting worse with role changes, medication changes etc during COVID-19.  But how I'm feeling now has been a reoccurring pattern through my working life. I start off in a new job with fake it till you make it confidence, then I get a knock and it's all downhill from there. It always feels like everything starts to unravel.

You said at the start that you have been signed of work for three months and receive SSP. You therefore obviously have a Fit Note from your GP. You are entitled to SSP for up to 28 weeks. Financially I makes sense to make full use of those 28 weeks because although your SSP is £95.85/week, when it stops your UC will only rise by £60.09.

Given that you have a Fit Note have you reported your health condition to UC? If you have a condition that limits your ability to work you can have a Work Capability Assessment. If found to have Limited Capability for Work and Related Activity this increases your UC entitlement by £341.92 after three months. If found to have Limited Capability for Work there is no financial gain but you do get a Work Allowance which means the first £512 of earnings would be disregarded each month and would also mean that if you go self employed you would not be subject to the Minimum Income Floor.