sick pay

linda.b_4

Hi. I work for 2 different companies. With both jobs combined, I earn around £150 a week. But only £75 with each. I have read you get stat sick if you earn over £87 a week. How would this affect me? Can I still claim. Oh has a good wage. I've been working for 30 years and believe it or not have never claimed any sick pay, as have only (thank god) been sick the odd day. Am not sick at the mo but age is creeping up and wondered whether it would be better to earn more with one company and drop hours with the other as it is flexible. Cheers for any replies.

mookie

So you are not sick but you are planning on maybe being sick in the future because your age is creeping up? You ask if you can claim but if you are not sick then I would guess the answer to your question is no.
I'm confused :huh:

linda.b_4

No. I'm not planning on getting sick. I'm not PLANNING on either me or husband dying any time soon either but have life insurance, just in case. The question was, should I up my hours so that I earn more than the threshold of £87, with the same company, or would the amounts be combined, SHOULD I ever need to go on the sick!

stazi

SSP entitlement (and Incapacity Benefit) is based on earnings over £87pw in this tax year. From 6/4/08, the level will be £90pw I think.

For SSP and IB, the earnings are not combined- each employment is separate.

It would be better for SSP/IB and State Pension if you worked more hours at one employer to start to pay NIC

LittleVoice

On the other hand, statutory sick pay will be £75.40 per week (after the 3 waiting days when you get nothing). In my view, it is not worth bothering to juggle your hours in case you have to make a claim.

Sounds as though you may be middle-aged now. There may be a long time before you ever need to think of really claiming SSP. I got past state pension age before being in that position. I got just over £100 for being away from work for a fortnight. And of course it is taxable.

And with the two part-time jobs, I expect you will have consistently been paying less NI than someone with a full-time job earning the same amount in total. In a way you've had the benefit without being ill!

tigtag02

mookie wrote: »

So you are not sick but you are planning on maybe being sick in the future because your age is creeping up? You ask if you can claim but if you are not sick then I would guess the answer to your question is no.
I'm confused :huh:

Oh dear ~ you need to refesh yourself with the *Please be nice* bit :rolleyes:

linda.b_4

Thanks for your replies. I have always paid NIC until a few months ago when my main employer lost a big contract so my hours have dropped. It only occurred to me a couple of weeks ago that as I don't pay NIC I will lose some benefits. Cheers.

mookie

linda.b wrote: »

No. I'm not planning on getting sick. I'm not PLANNING on either me or husband dying any time soon either but have life insurance, just in case. The question was, should I up my hours so that I earn more than the threshold of £87, with the same company, or would the amounts be combined, SHOULD I ever need to go on the sick!

Sorry I apologise I did not intend to come across nasty, your original post did confuse me as I said after my comment. I did not mean you are planning on getting ill, in the sense of in X amount of time you intend to be ill, I meant are you planning on the grounds of if you were to get ill, as you get older. Which in your reply has confirmed that by saying 'should' you be ill. As littlevoice said it could be a long time before you may be in a situation where you might need to make a claim which is why I wondered why you would be thinking ahead in that way.

I do not go around the forum making comments to deliberate upset or be nasty to people as some people do which is why I have taken the time to apologise I did misunderstand your post and I am sorry.

bryanb

Please also remember that any years of not paying NICs do not count towards state pension.

tigtag02

mookie wrote: »

Sorry I apologise I did not intend to come across nasty, your original post did confuse me as I said after my comment. I did not mean you are planning on getting ill, in the sense of in X amount of time you intend to be ill, I meant are you planning on the grounds of if you were to get ill, as you get older. Which in your reply has confirmed that by saying 'should' you be ill. As littlevoice said it could be a long time before you may be in a situation where you might need to make a claim which is why I wondered why you would be thinking ahead in that way.

I do not go around the forum making comments to deliberate upset or be nasty to people as some people do which is why I have taken the time to apologise I did misunderstand your post and I am sorry.

Its a shame that so many more arent like you

linda.b_4

Sorry for any confusion in original post. Thanks for taking time to apologise, ditto tigtago2 last post.