Handing in my notice while off sick

toria420

Hi, I need a little advice. I was signed off sick in march this year due to recurring mental health issues, and have just received another 3 month sick note. This takes me up to one year in march next year. I am not looking like I'll be fit and able to return at this point. I will need to hand in my notice but I don't know where I stand. Will my employers sack me after a year off sick, or would I need to give notice? Also if I did hand my notice in, would I be sanctioned for 3 months by Universal Credit? Thanks in advance.

TELLIT01

If you are still being paid by your employer it doesn't make sense to hand in your notice.  It may affect your entitlement to some benefits.  The only person who knows whether they will terminate your employment after 12 months of sickness is your employer.  My advice would be to do nothing at this stage and wait for contact from your employer

pmlindyloo

toria420 said:

Hi, I need a little advice. I was signed off sick in march this year due to recurring mental health issues, and have just received another 3 month sick note. This takes me up to one year in march next year. I am not looking like I'll be fit and able to return at this point. I will need to hand in my notice but I don't know where I stand. Will my employers sack me after a year off sick, or would I need to give notice? Also if I did hand my notice in, would I be sanctioned for 3 months by Universal Credit? Thanks in advance.

We need more information.
Are you currently receiving any money from your employers?  Contractual sick pay for example?  
If not are you claiming any benefits currently?
Generally speaking, it is recommended that you continue employment until your employer makes a move about your sickness record.  What have they said so far?
Claiming benefits will depend of your circumstances - partner?  children? house costs?  savings? work record - how long have you been employed and paying NI contributions?
To answer specifically about your question re sanctions.  If you are eligible to claim UC then having a fit note would mean that there would be no sanctions.

toria420

TELLIT01 said:

If you are still being paid by your employer it doesn't make sense to hand in your notice.  It may affect your entitlement to some benefits.  The only person who knows whether they will terminate your employment after 12 months of sickness is your employer.  My advice would be to do nothing at this stage and wait for contact from your employer

Hi, I am no longer receiving any payments from my employer. I had 28 weeks SSP which has now stopped. I receive only universal credit.

toria420

pmlindyloo said:

toria420 said:

Hi, I need a little advice. I was signed off sick in march this year due to recurring mental health issues, and have just received another 3 month sick note. This takes me up to one year in march next year. I am not looking like I'll be fit and able to return at this point. I will need to hand in my notice but I don't know where I stand. Will my employers sack me after a year off sick, or would I need to give notice? Also if I did hand my notice in, would I be sanctioned for 3 months by Universal Credit? Thanks in advance.

We need more information.
Are you currently receiving any money from your employers?  Contractual sick pay for example?  
If not are you claiming any benefits currently?
Generally speaking, it is recommended that you continue employment until your employer makes a move about your sickness record.  What have they said so far?
Claiming benefits will depend of your circumstances - partner?  children? house costs?  savings? work record - how long have you been employed and paying NI contributions?
To answer specifically about your question re sanctions.  If you are eligible to claim UC then having a fit note would mean that there would be no sanctions.

Hi, I am no longer receiving ssp, I had my 28 weeks. I'm currently only on universal credit. I've had no contact at all from my employer, other than them telling me although I receive no payments I still need to submit fit notes. This was a few months ago. I have one child, no savings, was with my employer around 1.5 years before becoming sick. Applied for and denied ESA because I've not paid enough NI contributions. It sounds like from what you're saying that all this would mean if I handed in my notice while on my current 3 month fit note (which takes me up til march/1year sick) then I wouldn't be sanctioned by universal credit? Thank you.

poppy12345

As you're already claiming UC have you reported a health condition and sending in fit notes to start the work capability assessment off? If you haven't then you need to do that, there will not be any sanctions because of your health condition.

Even if you were entitled to New style ESA this would not have made you financially better off because it would have been deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

toria420

poppy12345 said:

As you're already claiming UC have you reported a health condition and sending in fit notes to start the work capability assessment off? If you haven't then you need to do that, there will not be any sanctions because of your health condition.

Even if you were entitled to New style ESA this would not have made you financially better off because it would have been deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

Yes I have reported health condition and have just provided a photo copy of my fit note to universal credit. They did say that ESA would be deducted, so seems no point in claiming anyway! As long as you're sure I won't be sanctioned I'll put my notice in at work. Thank you.

poppy12345

With a health condition, you won't be sanctioned because you're handing in fit notes.

Although New style ESA is deducted £1 for £1 from any UC entitlement, if you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years it will be worth claiming because it's not means tested and you can't predict the future. It also pays class 1 NI credits, where as UC only pays class 3.

toria420

poppy12345 said:

With a health condition, you won't be sanctioned because you're handing in fit notes.

Although New style ESA is deducted £1 for £1 from any UC entitlement, if you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years it will be worth claiming because it's not means tested and you can't predict the future. It also pays class 1 NI credits, where as UC only pays class 3.

Hi, thank you for your help. Although I already applied for and was denied the new style ESA.

Spoonie_Turtle

OP you said you applied and were turned down for ESA, you could check your NI record online to see where the gaps were if you're not sure. They use the two previous full tax years to establish eligibility for ESA, so currently it's 2017-18 and 2018-19. Next year they will be looking at 2018-19 and 2019-2020 so it may be worth reapplying if those years are more complete.

toria420

Spoonie_Turtle said:

OP you said you applied and were turned down for ESA, you could check your NI record online to see where the gaps were if you're not sure. They use the two previous full tax years to establish eligibility for ESA, so currently it's 2017-18 and 2018-19. Next year they will be looking at 2018-19 and 2019-2020 so it may be worth reapplying if those years are more complete.

Thank you, I wasn't aware I could check or reapply. Any idea where I can check my NI payments please?