Early retirement due to ill-health

SofaPea

Hi all,

Really need some advice. My wife is currently on long-term sick and it's looking like she will have to retire on the grounds of ill-health. My wife is 56 years old and has acute fibromyalgia which continues to get worse.

My salary is £29,900 and the only income my wife will have is the low PIP mobility payment which we use most of to adapt our house to meet her needs.

Are we entitled to any government help?

We have already cut down on as much as possible due to my wife decreasing her hours as she deteriorated but I'm not sure how we will manage with only my salary. Do we need to accept that we will lose our forever home?

Woodstok2000

Any insurance policies that may help?

NedS

You can use a benefits calculator website such EntitledTo to check if you would qualify for means-tested benefits. You would be applying as a couple, so you would need to enter both of your details, including your salary.

Because it is means-tested, you would not qualify for any help if you have savings/capital over £16,000 or if your income is too much (which will depend on your circumstances).

Catonthemoon

(1) How long has your wife been with her current employer?

(2) Is it a pensionable position?

If ‘yes’ to (2), there ‘may’ be the option to apply for retirement on the grounds of ill health. If successful, she would start to receive her pension immediately.

However, I use the word ‘may’ cautiously - there are many hoops to jump through & it’s usually not very easy to get. That said, if she has the necessary medical evidence, it might be something to consider.

greyhairedscot

has your wife checked if her employer has a group income protection scheme which she may be eligible for? this could typically pay a % of salary for a period or until retirement age if accepted. she may be eeligible for ESA benefit but be careful if thinking pensions as theres an interacton with pension payment and ESA that reduces the ESA over a weekly amount

nothings guaranteed when insurers and benefits involved but some potential options

Good luck

SofaPea

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82122786#Comment_82122786

Sadly not, we can't afford them ironically

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82122939#Comment_82122939

Thank you, I tried the calculator and it just said PIP which she already gets. She did try and reapply for the higher amount due to all her care needs but they refused so i'm doing my best despite working full time.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82122959#Comment_82122959

Wife has been with this employer for 5 years, previously with the NHS but had to leave due to ill-health. There's not enough to live on in her NHS or current pension though it may pay off some of the mortgage so might help for a short while. Thank you i'll look into it.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123114#Comment_82123114

Thank you, ESA may help but it's only for a year and we have 4 years left on the mortgage. Pensions are so confusing.

Robbie64

ESA is only for a year if placed in the Limited Capability For Work group after a Work Capability Assessment. If placed in the Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity group, ESA is paid indefinitely.

Spoonie_Turtle

For PIP, the first decision (and even the second decision) aren't final; if your wife is sure she meets enough criteria - scores enough points - to qualify for the enhanced amount the decision can be challenged. I appreciate many people just don't have the energy to do so though.

How long ago was your wife awarded PIP (i.e. when they actually decided, not how long ago she put in her application)?

SofaPea

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123735#Comment_82123735

My wife has been receiving the low amount of PIP for the last 5 years. She applied for the higher amount more than a year ago and the application was rejected in May and we didn't feel we could appeal. Is it too late to appeal do you know?

Spoonie_Turtle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82128609#Comment_82128609

You can challenge the decision up to 13 months later if you have good reason. (The ordinary time limit for a Mandatory Reconsideration, the first step, is one month, but there's the provision for late challenging up to 13 months later.) So you're still in time as the decision was in May, I don't know if not knowing you could challenge it is taken as 'good reason' as the decision letter is supposed to tell you you can, but there's no harm in trying, nothing to lose.

Hopefully someone here who has experience of challenging beyond the initial usual time limit can advise how you go about it.

Newcad

To make a Late Appeal within 13 months of the decision you first ask the DWP for a late Mandatory Reconsideration (MR).

If, or more likely when, they refuse an MR because it's been more than a month (or if they agree to do a late MR but don't change their decision) then you can lodge an appeal with the Tribunal.

I"d strongly suggest that you make an appointment with a local benefit advice organasition to help you.

You can find advisors local to you by putting your postcode in here and selecting "Welfare Benefits" as the advice topic:

https://advicelocal.uk/

Note that if it's getting close to the 13 month limit then you can/should get the late MR request in before the deadline whilst waiting for an advisor appointment. (Even if you make a hash of your MR request the DWP will usually take time to reject it - and that refusal then gives you more time to appeal against their refusal).