Civil service ill health retirement

RebeccaJ

Hi all. I've just been granted ill health retirement tier 1 for issues relating to anxiety,  depression and autism.  It says they are granting my pension with no review. Other than PIP I don't think I'm entitled to any other benefits, I'm only 49 and don't have a huge pension so I'll have to find other work. Anyone know if there are restrictions on where I can now work. For example, can I return to work at the civil service (different organisation) but lower grade? What if I found a better paid job? Do I have to inform them? I can't find any guidance on this so grateful for any advice. Thank you

RebeccaJ

Thank you for your reply.  I'll try and make an appointment with either the citizens advice or job centre to see what benefits I might be entitled to.

Albus_Scope

Hi @RebeccaJ and welcome to the community!  

I can see you've already been offered some great advice, I second PIP and probably Universal credit too, but I wanted to stop in and say hi.  If you need anything, please speak up.  or if you just wanted to chill out and have some fun, I highly recommend our Coffee Lounge area.

RebeccaJ

Thank you for the lovely welcome.  I'm in a bit of a fragile way after everything leading to me having to leave a job I loved. I feel safe here so thank you again

MW123

Hello @RebeccaJ

Check your pension scheme documents to understand the rules for ill health retirement. They'll outline conditions and any restrictions on going back to work after retiring. It's important to know these details for your pension benefits.

Some schemes might require you to inform them if you start working again. Failing to do so could affect your pension, so make sure you follow any reporting rules carefully, to avoid any surprises. 

Also, see if you qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you're not receiving it already. PIP provides financial support for those dealing with long-term health conditions or disabilities. Check if you meet the eligibility criteria. 

Rebecca, I'm genuinely intrigued by how you're navigating these recent lifestyle changes. The idea of early ill health retirement often crosses my mind, but apprehensions about financial stability hold me back. I truly admire your dedication to prioritising your health and the proactive steps you've taken. It makes me reflect on my own courage, or perhaps the lack of it.

RebeccaJ

Thank you both. X

To be honest, I don't really have a choice but to take it. It got so bad at work that I attempted suicide and continued to get no support from work. I eventually had to go off on the sick as I just couldn't function. At least I'll get a little bit of money. My husband says we'll make it work, even if it means selling up. If I'd stayed in work, I wasn't going to live to my pension age anyway. Now I can hopefully try to get better. X

RebeccaJ

Thank you so much Scott. Your post has made me smile. Take care of yourself x

RebeccaJ

  

2oldcodgers

RebeccaJ said:

Hi all. I've just been granted ill health retirement tier 1 for issues relating to anxiety,  depression and autism.  It says they are granting my pension with no review. Other than PIP I don't think I'm entitled to any other benefits, I'm only 49 and don't have a huge pension so I'll have to find other work. Anyone know if there are restrictions on where I can now work. For example, can I return to work at the civil service (different organisation) but lower grade? What if I found a better paid job? Do I have to inform them? I can't find any guidance on this so grateful for any advice. Thank you

Did you not force the issue to get an enhanced pension?
When I had to retire on health grounds in 1995 after 29 years service they made my pension up to 40 years and started to pay it shortly afterwards. I then re-entered the Service in a different dept in 2006 and stayed there until 2009 when I turned 60. I receive two pensions from them.

poppy123456

Have you looked at claiming New style ESA, if entitled? I can't see that anyone has mentioned this in the previous comments?

It's not means tested so other income (apart from pensions of more than £85/week) savings/capital are ignored.

You will need the correct NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years to be entitled to payments. The tax years they look at now are 2020/21 and 2021/22. From the first Sunday in January the tax years change for benefit purposes so it will then be 2021/22 and 2022/23. You will need a fit note to be able to claim this. Full details here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

RebeccaJ

Thank you Poppy, I've had a quick look. It sounds stressful! Ironically I might have to wait until I feel a bit better before I apply. X

poppy123456

I totally understand that. Though please be aware of the NI contributions you need to be entitled to payments, especially as the tex years change in January. I've seen it happen so many times where people have waited and then when they applied they didn't qualify.

There's also Universal Credit, which i forgot to mention. As this is a means tested benefit whether you qualify will depend on your circumstances. If you live with a partner you need to claim as a couple. If you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 then you're excluded from claiming.

If you receive any pensions then this will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

RebeccaJ

Thanks 2oldcodgers. To be honest I've no idea whether I get an enhancement or not. Presume I don't but I haven't had my final figures through yet. Don't know why it's so complicated though!

poppy123456

Scottish0177 said:

RebeccaJ said:

Thank you Poppy, I've had a quick look. It sounds stressful! Ironically I might have to wait until I feel a bit better before I apply. X

once you have all the info you need (from citizens advice or job centre) you will be in a better place to make decisions

One thing i would never ever advise anyone to do is get advice from their local Job centre. Or from any DWP call centre. They are not benefits advisors and have been known to give some truly shocking advice.

Benefits are a minefield but in my opinion, is there ever a right time to claim? It's a stressful process regardless of when you claim. Leaving it to a later date could mean you're losing out on money you maybe entitled to. 

Although New style ESA can be backdated for a maximum of 3 months, providing you weren't claiming SSP and you weren't receiving earnings of more than the permitted work amount, which is £167/week at the moment.

Universal Credit can only be backdated for a maximum of 1 month under the most extreme circumstances.

If you need advice there's always someone here on the forum that can help with any questions you may have.

2oldcodgers

poppy123456 said:

Scottish0177 said:

RebeccaJ said:

Thank you Poppy, I've had a quick look. It sounds stressful! Ironically I might have to wait until I feel a bit better before I apply. X

once you have all the info you need (from citizens advice or job centre) you will be in a better place to make decisions

One thing i would never ever advise anyone to do is get advice from their local Job centre. Or from any DWP call centre. They are not benefits advisors and have been known to give some truly shocking advice.

Benefits are a minefield but in my opinion, is there ever a right time to claim? It's a stressful process regardless of when you claim. Leaving it to a later date could mean you're losing out on money you maybe entitled to. 

I will have to agree with you on that.
I remember working out a Pension Credit claim over 3 years before I actually made one. I called into the local Jobcentre and asked if someone could confirm my calculations because with the disability premiums and carers allowances the amount I appeared to be entitled to made my income appear ridiculously high.
I was told to take a hike and instead of wanting to live on benefits I should instead work for the next 3 years and then take my State Pension.
As I mentioned previously I waited those 3 years until I was 65 and then made a claim. My figures were right so effectively lost out on over £7500! 

Wibbles

@RebeccaJ

I left the CS in 2009 after 30 years service on IHR grounds - I won enhanced

Don't know where you got the idea that it affected any future job from ?

I have worked for the local authority for 10 years since then and got IHR, 3 years ago from that job as well !

I am just 60 now

RebeccaJ

Thanks Wibbles. To be honest I wasn't sure where I stood with regards to any restrictions etc if/when I get another job. I'm still waiting for the paperwork so just second guessing everything at the moment!

2oldcodgers

Wibbles said:

@RebeccaJ

I left the CS in 2009 after 30 years service on IHR grounds - I won enhanced

Don't know where you got the idea that it affected any future job from ?

I have worked for the local authority for 10 years since then and got IHR, 3 years ago from that job as well !

I am just 60 now

I did the same and had my years 'topped' up to the maximum. With permission I then went back to the CS (different department) and worked until I was 65. Consequently I have two CS pensions that actually pay all of the household bills every month with a bit left over for a few treats.

RebeccaJ

@Wibbles thank you. That's really useful to know 

Wibbles

2oldcodgers said:

Wibbles said:

@RebeccaJ

I left the CS in 2009 after 30 years service on IHR grounds - I won enhanced

Don't know where you got the idea that it affected any future job from ?

I have worked for the local authority for 10 years since then and got IHR, 3 years ago from that job as well !

I am just 60 now

I did the same and had my years 'topped' up to the maximum. With permission I then went back to the CS (different department) and worked until I was 65. Consequently I have two CS pensions that actually pay all of the household bills every month with a bit left over for a few treats.

I can probably go one better - when I left my original CS job - it was on voluntary redundancy terms (pre imposed limits - and since I had been in post for 39 years, I received almost 8 years lump sum) - then 12 months later, I applied for and received enhanced IHR... 2 years later, I was offered a job with the local authority

RebeccaJ

Just an update on this for your information. This is what civil service pension confirmed:

'Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding re-employment after ill health retirement.

If you are re-employed then your current yearly pension will be assessed, depending on your earnings your ill health retirement pension could be reduced to exclude any enhancements that were applied due to the ill health retirement.

The pension could also be subject to abatement, the abatement rule applies if the amount that you receive as a total of your pension and salary exceed the salary that you received on the last day of your original service. This is known as your salary of reference and increases in line with PI (pension increase) that is applied annually on the first Monday of the tax year.

If your total earnings, pension and salary do exceed your salary of reference, we will reduce your pension by the excess. Depending on the amount that you earn, this could result in your pension being fully abated.

At the end of re-employment the original ill health pension will be reinstated in full.

If you are employed by a company that does not fall under civil service pension arrangements then the above procedures will not apply to you'.