Options regarding ill health/pain

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

strugglingmuminpain

Hi All, thanks for letting me join

I work in a GP surgery and run my own clinics. I have chronic back pain from an injury caused 20 years ago. Until now, with regular meds I have been able to work, with no issues, however now, I am struggling to walk, and I'm now using pain patches as well as usual pain meds to help with the pain.

It's been suggested by family that I finally admit defeat and resign, but as a single mum I don't know what help I would get. I've worked my entire adult life (now 46) I currently have a blue badge and pip for living, but I need to put in a change of circumstances to be reassessed. I have no savings and universal credits plus wages of £1000 a month

Any advice will be very much appreciated

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

I can't quite understand the last sentence there. Do you already get basic rate of Universal Credit? If so, do you also get the health element of LCW or LCWRA? Depending on your child's age and education status you may also get the Child Element as well.

It sounds like you may be entitled to some PIP Mobility, which you already know and are intended to put in a COC for.

You may be entitled to some Council Tax reduction. This has to be applied for from the local council, not from UC or the Job Centre.

As you've been working within the past 2 years then you would most likely be entitled to New Style ESA. However, that would get deducted in full from Universal Credit, so I don't see any reason to claim that in this case. (It is not means tested so allows people with more than £16k in savings to claim ill health benefits immediately after finishing work).