Half pay while applying for Ill Health Retirement. Any benefits available?

DotDot

Hi.

I've been stalking this site for a while but now I need some concrete advice please.

I'm on long term sick leave after cancer treatments and looking to apply for Ill Health Retirement. My pay has gone down to half pay so I'm beginning to panic about the future in case I don't get Ill Health Retirement. 

I already get PIP and have a Blue Badge. 

Is there any other benefit I can apply for? 

I'm worried about my state pension too as I still have a few years left to contribute to get the full amount but if I get medically retired, how do I increase my state pension if I havent got a job?

Thank you for any help anyone can offer me.

Ta.

Pseudonym

You could apply for contribution based ESA shortly before your job formally ends,  so it's lined up to start in time. (I'm guessing that with your pension, when it comes, you would get too much to get means tested benefits - universal credit - but you can put your financial numbers into a benefits calculator like the one on Turn2Us which will give a better idea.) With out of work benefits you get NI credits, which count towards your state pension eligibility. You can get these credits even if you get too much pension to receive any actual contribution based ESA money. 

calcotti

Pseudonym said:

You could apply for contribution based ESA shortly before your job formally ends,  so it's lined up to start in time.

Not relevant, employment status doesn’t matter. New style ESA can be claimed as soon as SSP entitlement has ended. The ESA is claimable and payable even if half pay is still being paid. The ESA can be paid from the day after SSP ends. 

Claiming ESA will result in Class 1 NI credits towards future SP entitlement.

Pseudonym

Would the half pay not be SSP? Or would it depend on the amount? Simply being on sick leave from a job isn't sufficient to claim ESA...is it?

It would be a complete revelation to me that someone could get CB ESA while also receiving sick pay from an employer, whether full or half. Happy to learn that's so - or to learn something else if that's not what you meant.

Pseudonym

...oh, so SSP is for the first 28 weeks. I have just read it elsewhere. Good to know. 

poppy123456

Pseudonym said:

Would the half pay not be SSP? Or would it depend on the amount? Simply being on sick leave from a job isn't sufficient to claim ESA...is it?

It would be a complete revelation to me that someone could get CB ESA while also receiving sick pay from an employer, whether full or half. Happy to learn that's so - or to learn something else if that's not what you meant.

As calcotti advised, ESA can't be claimed at the same time as SSP. New style ESA isn't affected by half pay but if there's any SSP included in this then you can't be paid the ESA at the same time.

Pseudonym said:

...oh, so SSP is for the first 28 weeks.

Correct, if entitled to it.

calcotti

Pseudonym said:

Would the half pay not be SSP? Or would it depend on the amount? Simply being on sick leave from a job isn't sufficient to claim ESA...is it?

It would be a complete revelation to me that someone could get CB ESA while also receiving sick pay from an employer, whether full or half. Happy to learn that's so - or to learn something else if that's not what you meant.

SSP and contractual sick entitlement are different. 

SSP sets a minimum sick pay entitlement for 28 weeks (subject to meeting the conditions). Actual sick pay can be higher and paid for longer based on contractual terms. 

For example, an employee may get six months at full pay and six months at half pay and be able to receive ESA after the 28 weeks SSP period has ended and thus receive ESA in additional to their ongoing contractual pay.

DotDot

Thank you all for your advice. I'm completely clueless on tbese things so really appreciate you replying and sharing your knowledge.

I've requested a SSP1 form so, as soon as that arrives, I'll be applying for ESA.

It's now 8 months since I've been on sick pay which is obviously longer than 28 weeks. If I'm awarded it, can it be backdated to when 28 weeks would have started? Or would I only get it from the date actually applied? 

poppy123456

It can be backdated for a maximum of 3 months. You will need a fit note backdated too.

DotDot

Thank you 😊 
I have fit notes from September.
Fingers crossed🤞 

L_Volunteer

Good luck @DotDot. Please feel free to let us know how it goes and if there's anything we can do to support you 

DotDot

I applied online for ESA on 1/5 and had a message saying someone would contact me within 14 days. It's now 13/5 and the weekend. Would they phone over the weekend?

poppy123456

Sometimes decision makers work weekends but not sure about anyone else. For this reason you may not be contacted this weekend.

DotDot

I've just got ESA back pay. Thank you!!!!!

Hannah_Alumni

That's great news @DotDot

DotDot

Hi. I successfully applied for ESA and have been getting payments every 2 weeks (£169.60) but this week, it's gone up (£191.58).

I sent my ESA50 form off a few weeks ago. Does the increase mean I've been put in a group without having an assessment? I'm very confused as the numbers don't show an obvious difference that can be explained.

If I have been put in the support group, do you get the enhanced rate backdated to original claim?

Thank you to anyone who can advise me on this.

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @DotDot

That's an amount I haven't come across before. The GOV website says:

You’ll be placed into one of 2 groups if you’re entitled to ESA. If you’re able to get back into work in the future, you’ll be put into the work-related activity group. Otherwise, you’ll be put into the support group.
You’ll get:

• up to £84.80 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group

• up to £129.50 a week if you’re in the support group

Can I ask, do you claim a pension? 

DotDot

Thank you. Amounts didn't make sense to me either. 

I have just been awarded Ill Health Retirement this month but technically I'm still in employment until 31st August so I've not had any pension yet.

poppy123456

If you've been placed into the Support Group you will be entitled to £129.50/week from the 14 week of your claim. The money you received into your bank could potentially be part payment for X amount of days but it will depend on when your claim started. You will receive a decision letter in the post at some point.

DotDot said:

If I have been put in the support group, do you get the enhanced rate backdated to original claim?

There's no such thing as Enhanced rate, this applies to PIP only. As it's New style ESA you're claiming then there's no disability premiums payable with this. It's £129.50/week.

You can use a benefits calculator to check entitlement to Universal Credit. As it's means tested whether there's any entitlement will depend on your circumstances. If you live with a partner you'll need to claim as a couple and your joint circumstances will be taken into consideration. If you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 you're excluded from claiming. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator

If you claim UC then the ESA will be deducted in full. You will also be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim because it does look like you've been placed into the Support Group for ESA.

DotDot said:

Thank you. Amounts didn't make sense to me either. 

I have just been awarded Ill Health Retirement this month but technically I'm still in employment until 31st August so I've not had any pension yet.

Still being "employed" will make no difference. If you do receive a pension you will need to make sure you report this to ESA. Any pension of up to £85/week will be ignored. For every £1 over this amount there will be 50p/week deduction in your ESA.

If you claim UC then any pension will reduce this £1 for £1.

DotDot

Thank you for your detailed and helpful responses. You are doing a great service for people like me who haven't got.a clue!! Thank you.

I applied for ESA on 1/5/23 but had it backdated to 18/3/23 when my SSP ran out. That extra bit of money is probably because of the group I've been put in.

I have only just been notified that I will be medically retired. The agreed finish date is 31st August as it's the end of the school year and I worked in a school. I will not get any pension until September but I will notify ESA. I know ESA will be adjusted but it will hopefully still pay my national insurance contributions. 

DotDot

I've just checked my banking app and says there's an upcoming payment of £259 so looks like it's sorted and I'm in the support group. Thanks again. Never even heard of ESA until a few months back when people on here suggested it to me. So grateful for everyone's help.