Civil Service - iLL Health Retirement

ardencraig

Thanks Scott, I’d been having some problems with the modeller. There is a massive over 50% difference between both options for me. I’d contacted MYCSP around 3 times in the past and they assured me that whilst the figures are an estimate it’s still fairly accurate. However, as there’s such a difference I’ve done some online research and there seems to be many people with the option there’s a known issue with the accuracy with the modeller. I contact MYCSP again the other day and the agent seemed less than knowledgeable, to the extent he advised that anyone can take their nuvos pension from 50 years (which they can’t).

Obviously best just to wait until I get the figures in writing. And it’s a lot less worry now that I’ve been awarded higher tier in any event.
For anyone reading these posts in future your advice was spot on. It’s all about proving you meet the scheme criteria. And I believe your advice of not just completing the small boxes on the IHR1 form, but to provide further information on additional pages was a massive help.

Thanks again Scott.

Andy

Bydand

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1014604#Comment_1014604

No worries, glad to help and you found my advice of benefit. I tend to type as I formulate things in my head so it can come across as quite abrupt and too the point but I am glad that I helped confirm points you were likely already aware of and perhaps suggested things you might not have been so sure about.

If anyone else finds this post helpful then great. Being ill and trying to juggle both home life and work commitments can be very very stressful but at the end of the day your health is the most important thing and you really have to do right by yourself.

Getting the top tier award is tremendous and is such a relief for those lucky to get it whilst suffering with a debilitating medical condition, it really can be the difference between managing one’s future with an ongoing illness or financially struggling and everything that goes along with that….I well remember the surge of release that came on reading my award letter ( I am man enough to admit to having had a cry ), and my case was pretty straight forward as I have a life limiting disease (terminal) so I was fairly confident I would be awarded higher tier.

My advice to anyone is to prepare fully and be proactive. Meeting the pension policy criteria fully is essential and providing enough medical evidence to do so is the be all and end all to being successful….or not

Take it easy, and hoping your award will help in being better able to manage your condition moving forward.

Signing out lol

Scott

mhalpin

Hi Andy and Scott, I've followed your exchanges which are very helpful as I'm at the start of what seems like quite a long and often complicated process. I may be overly optimistic but I believe the conditions (MS, Trigeminal Neuralgia and Anaesthesia Dolorosa) and their impacts on my ability to work effectively should (should) reach the higher tier thresholds -

If you are willing and able I'd be grateful to discuss with you as I go along and gain your insights as I navigate through the process, with my 1st question being pretty simple - should the application be completed in hard copy, or is the expectation for it to be online? I note your previous conversation on the need for additional pages to properly document the conditions, their impacts and permanency but I'm not sure if there was a way of doing this online. In a similar sense, should my various specialists provide information in hard copy - I'm trying to get ahead of the game and give a heads up to my specialists as Scott suggests in an earlier post.

Understand if you are unable to provide assistance and I will use the valuable information from your conversations, and I hope that you (Scott) have your situation fully resolved.

Thanks

Mikey

Bydand

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1062149#Comment_1062149

Hi Mike,

Glad you found the previous info helpful, it really is beneficial to have insider knowledge so too speak

No worries helping you out along the way.

Just for my own peace of mind and clarity, have you been under Occupational health, and have they advised you and your employer that you likely meet the criteria for IHR ?

The first part you asked about was hard copy application or online…….hard copy only every time, do not be fobbed off by HR or anyone else stating online only……hard copy allows you to add extra sheets with more info if needed……the question boxes they ask you to complete are tiny and you aren’t going to fit a lot of info in them……I simply wrote, see extra sheets for this information……just make sure that the extra sheets are headed properly as to the question you are answering…..don’t over complicate things but put enough information in that satisfies you enough to get the information over. Try and imagine how someone reading this information is judging what you are saying against the criteria and descriptors.

As for the specialist medical information part of you’re question…..the application asks you for various consents that will allow access to you’re medical records, they may also get in touch with you’re gp, consultant, specialist directly.

There is a part on the application ….for you’re doctor and or specialist to complete and I would suggest that you speak to the relevant people involved you’re care and ask them to fill in. Keeping things simple but direct works best.

You can find the whole IHR application online…it is very handy to read all of this a few times to familiarise yourself with the whole process and questions various depts are being asked…..don’t just read and fill in your part.

If you are looking at this because there are few other options left open to you then you are likely already well aware of the criteria and descriptors for IHR…..permanency of both condition and symptoms are the be all end all towards a successful application….any doubt from the pension providers side will mean an unsuccessful application.

Feel free to ask questions and good luck

Scott

Edit….i should have said that having multiple conditions or illnesses isn’t always helpful. It is often best to focus on the main condition that you feel is causing you issues at work that meets the permanency criteria

ardencraig

Hi Mike,

I'm glad you found the exchanges between myself and Scott helpful. Without Scott’s support, I’ve no doubt I wouldn’t have been as well prepared—his advice is spot on, and he’ll keep you right. I’ll keep an eye on the conversation and will chip in if I think I can help.

When I was applying for IHR, I contacted my neurologist’s secretary to let her know that the Scheme Medical Adviser (SMA) might be in touch. I asked her to pass on a letter from me to my neurologist. In the letter, I explained that I was applying for IHR and outlined the criteria I needed to meet for upper tier approval—namely, that my condition was permanent until state pension age, and that my incapacity was so severe I was unable to undertake any gainful employment.

I also contacted the SMA directly to make sure they had my neurologist’s secretary’s email address—this helped streamline the process. There was a slight issue initially, as my neurologist wanted payment before issuing a report. Fortunately, the SMA liaised with the secretary and resolved this.

In the end, my neurologist provided a brief, clear report. He outlined the multiple treatments I’d undergone over the years, none of which had been successful. Based on this, he stated it was unlikely I’d improve before reaching state pension age.

Hope this helps, let me know if there's anything I can assist with.

mhalpin

Good morning both, thanks very much for reaching out.

I've been in touch with OH for a few years now - waiting on my latest phone call - and they always stated that there are no adaptations that help with the challenges I face. Unhelpfully though, when asked about whether IHR is possible they say that is not for them to judge - I thought they were supposed to give an opinion but could be wrong.

I'm in touch with some of the specialists already to tee them up to providing reports and plan to send the forms to them this week, so hopefully they can be completed relatively quickly.

I note your point about more than one condition but one (MS) led to TN, and a TN procedure that didn't go to plan resulted in AD. I will however try to frame the narrative to focus on the main issues of AD and MS, whilst giving a short summary on TN.

Unfortunately all conditions are permanent with no signs off being able to be 'cured', and so they very much tick the permanency box.

My neuro pyschiatrist has already told me he is surprised that I am working given the debilitating nature of the conditions which for the most part prevents me from leaving the house as being outside increases the severity of what is already severe pain - as well as work challenges I rarely am able to go out with the family for walks, playing with the kids, , no longer play golf/sports and have largely lost the ability to participate in any social events. Add on top of this crippling fatigue due to a lack of sleep because of the pain, severe headaches, weakness down one side of my body and a catalogue of heavy drugs which brings brain fog, memory loss, complete lack of focus and coordination challenges (stumbling around).

Living the dream.

If ok, I'll be in touch with other questions as they arise and thanks again for all the advice thus far.

Mikey

Bydand

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1062313#Comment_1062313

Hi

Straight up, it is concerning that OH have not definitively told you that they support IHR at this time as that is generally how the application for IHR is progressed by the employer. OH obviously will be unaware of the outcome of any IHR application but their role is to state that all reasonable adjustments have been made and been unsuccessful and that the employee is now at the stage where IHR is the likely course moving forward.

Indeed part of the application asks the employer specifically what consideration has been given to job modification or redeployment, so if OH still think there is any likelihood that reasonable adjustments will work or not all adjustments have been exhausted yet and reported this back to you’re employer then i do not think you’re application will even progress. The employer gets a copy of all OH referral reports so they are well aware of their opinion. Both parties need to be in agreement.

It may best to ask for a new referral to be made if you haven’t had one recently and see what their viewpoint is now based on what you are reporting…..edit, just saw you’re comment on waiting for latest OH call.

Maybe not what you wanted to hear but OH and their opinion is vital in the application process. You really need them on you’re side.

ardencraig

In my situation I’d had many referrals over the years with OH. All reasonable adjustments had been explored and failed. I’d been on long term sick leave on many occasions. Latterly during my final spell of long term sick leave I had an OH referral. It was agreed there were no further possible reasonable adjustments possible. OH stated in their opinion it is possible an application for ill health retirement could succeed and supported my application. I’m assuming you’re on long term sick leave just now?

mhalpin

On the case with OH and HR. A new referral has been sent to OH I'm just waiting for the telephone call.

Who was the OH provider you dealt with? I work in the Scottish Government and it feels like OH have no idea what they are doing, and no understanding on the T&Cs - which are in part different to HMG Depts (I used to work for FCO).

Yes off on sick leave again.

ardencraig

optima health was my OH back in March.

https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/your-pension/work-life/illness-and-injury/ill-health-retirement/

The civil service also has a very detailed website with regards to ill health retirement criteria

Bydand

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1062436#Comment_1062436

Hi,

Yes what you have described is similar to my own route to IHR. Many years of sick periods, back to work plans, OH referrals and reasonable adjustments, up until they themselves did not work.

As you have stated OH were fully involved at all stages and it was they themselves that told me I would likely be a candidate for IHR.

Hope you are doing ok

S

ardencraig

lovely to chat to you again. I’m still thankful for the help and advice you gave me.
There were some issues with a delay to my pension due to a mix up between HR and civil service pensions but all sorted now.

It took a wee while for me to totally come to terms mentally with the fact I’ll never work again.

I did notice a big release from all the stress I’d clearly been under without even realising the extent.

ill health retirement has allowed me to focus completely on my health.

I hope you’re doing as well as you possibly can.

Bydand

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1062470#Comment_1062470

Hi

Glad everything has been sorted out now and you feel that you are able too manage your condition better.

Yes, coming to terms with not being able to work is hard, I am still not quite there yet.

And yes , we tend to just trudge along , trying to manage and often not realising the stress we put ourselves under.

Anyway, onwards and upwards

Scott