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On the sick

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
My contract for my job ends on February the 28th and I will be claiming JSA until I find a job. However I have a mystery illness that has not yet been diagnosed. I have had to have quite a lot of time off recently, I’m in pain almost everyday and I don’t think I’m fit to work a lot of the time. So how do I go about going on the sick? I’ve been on the sick where I will still have a job to go to and received sick pay. If I go to the doctors and go on the sick, will I still get housing benefit?
Thanks for your help.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bump - please someone help - I've had a look on the benefits website but can't really understand it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't quite understand what you mean by on the sick...

    BUT from when I looked into it for between when I gave up being a student and before I was well enough to work again it's really rather difficult to get anything whilst your ill, and you have to have been not well enough to work for a fair while.

    I *think* (that is think, not sure by any means) that the two to be looking at in you realy are not well enough to work are incapacity benefit or disability living allowance. From what I remember you have to make an appointment and see an advisor for both of them so maybe that's the best course of action.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cheers.
    What I mean is I don't think I'm well enough to work, I'm havingmore and more time off and my illness is getting worse. No future employer woud let me pass a probation stage like this and I am feelinglike I can't work right now.

    I want to know if when you go on the sick (get benefits for not being able to work) do you get housing benefit too.
    Like you said, I think I'll make an appointment with an advisor.
    Is it the Dr that I see first tosee if he will sign me off etc?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You have to see one of their doctors eventually, to assess what you are and are not capable of doing.

    This has good info on incapacity benefit:

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/DG_10016082

    Incapacity benefit in itself doesn't stop you getting housing benefit, BUT if you get IB and do some permitted work then your total income might put you over the limits for housing benefit, at which point it would stop.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is itbest to book an appointment with and advisor first and not bother going to see my own Doctor?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yes you will be able to get housing benefit too :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's up to you.

    We can't tell you how to sort your life out. It also depends on what your doctor is like. If they are generally useful and it's humanly possible to get an appointment with them then it could well be worth making an appointment to see them, see if they think you are fit to work or not (because if they think you are well enough to work and know your history then it's unlikely anyone else will say otherwise) and see if they have any ideas on the best place to look for help.

    If your doctor is like mine, generally fairly useless and an absolute nightmare to get appointments with then I'd talk to the benefits people first.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's up to you.

    We can't tell you how to sort your life out. It also depends on what your doctor is like. If they are generally useful and it's humanly possible to get an appointment with them then it could well be worth making an appointment to see them, see if they think you are fit to work or not (because if they think you are well enough to work and know your history then it's unlikely anyone else will say otherwise) and see if they have any ideas on the best place to look for help.

    If your doctor is like mine, generally fairly useless and an absolute nightmare to get appointments with then I'd talk to the benefits people first.
    LOL I'm not asking you how to help me sort my life out - I think you miss-understood. I'm asking what the right channel is, I've never done this before and as you mentioned they have their own doctor, I was querying whether it is any use going to my own or not.

    My doctor is very good and has been very supportive with what I have. So I shall try him first.
    Thanks for the help hon.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sorry, reread that and it could sound a little harsh. I was just trying to explain that it's different for everyone and once you've got the basic info you're the only one who will know what to do next in your circumstances. If you've got a helpful useful doctor that's heard of benefits then talk to him first.

    Although saying that, I've just remembered that it can be nightmares getting appointments to see the benefits lot, so it could be worth a shot at trying to get an appointment with them too, you can always cancel it later.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sorry, reread that and it could sound a little harsh. I was just trying to explain that it's different for everyone and once you've got the basic info you're the only one who will know what to do next in your circumstances. If you've got a helpful useful doctor that's heard of benefits then talk to him first.

    Although saying that, I've just remembered that it can be nightmares getting appointments to see the benefits lot, so it could be worth a shot at trying to get an appointment with them too, you can always cancel it later.

    Cheers mate. I didn't take it harshly, it's hard to offend, just putting you straight :D
    Thanks agaon ma love.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In terms of getting advice on benefits, the "benefits people" themselves are not the most helpful in my experience (or at least some are, some aren't). For advice you might be better off getting independant advice (I don't know who this would be in your situation and area, CAB might be worth a try).

    To get "signed off" you need a certificate. If you aren't seeing anyone else like a specialist then the GP would be the one to issue it.

    I believe you would still get housing benefit because I'm off sick and I get housing benefit amongst other things so I don't see why you wouldn't.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You have to see one of their doctors eventually, to assess what you are and are not capable of doing.

    :no: you may have to see one of their doctors but certainly not everyone does, most people don't.

    The incapacity for work test thing that that link mentions is just a set of questions that you maybe asked at some point but not everyone gets asked those either, it depends on your circumstances and/ or health.

    You would probably be called for a "Work Focussed Interview" at some point where someone asks you what job you might like in the future and gives you "advice" but I had one of these ages ago and it was pretty straight forwards.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Also, there are other benefits if you are sick but can't get Incapacity Benefit (e.g. if you have made insufficient NI contributions but still get signed off then you could get Income Support).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, you will still get HB if you're on IB or IS.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thank you people.
    I have been signed off for 2 weeks and I'm seeing my specialist on Tuesday.
    I'm back at my doctors in 2 weeks to assess my situation.
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