Advice Please

suziebear1985

Hi,

No judgement please, I'm just looking for advice. I've always been employed (apart from as a student) and I'm currently earning around £40,000 per year. I'm a single mum of two boys and I've been struggling for some time. I've suffered with stress, depression and anxiety for over 10 years despite trying lots of different things to help myself. Since the pandemic it's been particularly bad and I don't seem to have bounced back at all. I feel like I'm fighting the inevitable as I know I'm heading for a complete melt down. I'm on a 2 year contract and the line of work I'm in is relentless so you can't just take time off sick and catch up where you left off. I feel like I'm genuinely too ill to work at the moment and I just don't know what to do. I feel I need to step away from work for a period of time for the sake of my health to rest and recover but I'm terrified as I know I won't get any benefits for a few months if I quit my job and I'm so worried about what will happen to my boys and my home as I won't be able to afford to support us anymore. I only have a small amount of savings and I just wondered roughly how much I might get for me and my two boys to understand what our life will look like. Also will I be expected to look for work ASAP or will there be any sort of allowance for I'll health?. 

Thanks

LippyDoodle

You can take 7 days off work to start with by letting your boss know you are not well. During that time contact your Dr. After 7 days your GP will give you sick note. Just be honest with you Dr and tell them how you are feeling. No one can help unless you open up. 

poppy12345

First, have you thought about speaking to your employer about reasonable adjustments? Would this help you stay in work if you worked fewer hours? https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers

If not then SSP is payable for 28 weeks from your employer but you'll need a fit note to be able to claim this. https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/eligibility

Providing you don't have savings of more than £16,000 you could claim Universal Credit as well as the SSP but the SSP will be classed as earnings. You don't mention whether you rent or own your home. If you own it and have a mortgage then there's no help with this. If you rent then you'll be able to claim help with this as part of your maximum UC entitlement.

Your UC will include money for yourself £411.51 (over 25) and 2 child elements for your children £282.50 for the first child born before April 2017 and £237.08 for the 2nd child. Total UC per month £931.09 if you don't claim for help with any rent. If you do claim help with that then you will need to add that onto the total. Use a benefits calculator here. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=517f7a1f-14ce-4281-9392-21628b93cc0e

You will have a work allowance of £515 if you don't claim for help with the rent or £293 if you do. This means you can earn that amount of money each month before the 63% deductions apply.

If you claim UC you need to report your health condition and send in a fit note within 7 days.

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

It's definitely not easy to live on benefits so you will need to be aware of that too.

You can also look at PIP, which is a disability benefit that isn't mean tested. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

https://pipinfo.net/

New Style ESA can also be claimed 3 months before your SSP ends but payment won't start until SSP ends. If you claim both UC and ESA together the NsESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

suziebear1985

Thank you so much for the information. I do own my own home but it looks like I wouldn't be able to keep it on that amount as the mortgage alone is £600 although maybe I could supplement that with a shift here and there, maybe once a week which would take the pressure off but then I obviously can't do that whilst off sick and I'm probably not in the right mind frame either.

So many people stand to lose, my team will be crushed at work as they are already overwhelmed, kids will lose their home and I pay my step mum £200 a month for money she loaned me to help with the deposit. I just know a few weeks off isn't going to cut it though.

poppy12345

When reporting a health condition, once you're assessed, if you're found to have Limited Capability for Work Related activity (LCWRA) you will receive an extra £343 per month, paid from the 4th month of your claim.

Council tax reduction can be claimed from your local council.

There's no help with the mortgage for 9 consecutive months with zero earnings and even then it's a loan.

Pollycat

Are you on medication for depression/anxiety?
Do go and see your GP or at least get a telephone consultation.

I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety (as a result of a specific incident) and am feeling much better on medication (although a lot of people feel worse before they feel better when starting medication).

sammyjammy

Pollycat said:

Are you on medication for depression/anxiety?
Do go and see your GP or at least get a telephone consultation.

I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety (as a result of a specific incident) and am feeling much better on medication (although a lot of people feel worse before they feel better when starting medication).

Got to agree with Pollycat, it appears from the limited info you've supplied that you're planning on going from 100 to 0 in one step, thats just going to make your anxiety worse.

What I would say if this is what needs to happen either now or eventually to save your mental health then thats much more important than your boys living in a house that you own.  You don't say what ages they are but all they need is love, food, warmth and a roof over their heads.  If you go down this route you'll need to change your mindset as to whats important. 

If you sold your house and were claiming Universal Credit any equity over £16k would remove that entitlement leaving you with just the New Style ESA.

suziebear1985

I do have anxiety and depression which my GP is aware of however medication is not a route for me and I don't say this because I'm anti medication. Over the course of the last 15 years I've tried around 18 medications and all either don't work, have horrific side effects in which I can't function or leave me feeling dead inside which is worse than feeling sad/overwhelmed. I also have an eating disorder which I'm seeking help for. It's hard trying to find help which is efficient but I am pro active and I am trying, it's just reached a bit of a breaking point. I wouldn't have any money left over after selling my house as I only bought it a few months ago so I've only made a few mortgage payments.

pmlindyloo

Having read through your previous posts you have been through some really tough and stressful times. Just one of these would have caused most people to become anxious, stressed and tired.

But, you have worked your way through them and come out the other side.

Having said that, it may be that the past has caught up with you and suddenly you have reached crisis point.

I agree with a previous poster that you probably feel that resigning from your job would be the answer but this is a big step to take and will also give you further stress about how you will manage on benefits.  (Plus leaving a job may be problematical with claiming UC unless you have written support from your GP.)

It may be better to do this in steps.  This is what I would suggest:

1.  Take some sick leave.  Go to your GP and ask for some help.  Get a fit note and send to your employer.  If necessary get repeat fit notes until you are feeling better.
I know you probably feel that you want a clean break from work and this will help you get better.  This may be the case or it could just be the 'cherry on the cake' - your past stresses has caught up with you.  Going sick will give you some space and time. Don't worry about your colleagues - they will cope, as will your employer.  Your health is the important thing here.

2. Get in touch with your mortgage provider and ask for a 'holiday' from your payments or ask if they will allow you to go interest only until you feel better explaining that you are sick and off work. 

3.  You will get SSP from your employer (Are you entitled to any contractual pay when off sick?  Check your contract.)

4.  Apply for Universal Credit.  Hand in a fit note for UC .  (You may need a copy for UC or your employer - can someone please confirm how this works?)

I see you have already asked on the forum re: budgeting etc.  You can survive on UC - not easy but can be done.  Read all of Martin Lewis' articles about cutting down etc.

Best wishes.

oh_really

Ask for help with the workload.
Has your employer conducted a mental health risk assessment?

Sncjw

Do you do anything outside of work for you. Something you enjoy to maybe clewr your head. It could help with work related things.