Trying to help a friend through maze of going on sick leave from work and then applying for PIP and

jose2

Hoping someone can help on me help a friend with step by step process of what she should do to ask for sick leave via GP ,she is  very worried about finances concerning finishing work altogether,(she has Fibro and other bad medical conditions)she has been told she cannot apparently claim housing benefit ,as she works 20 hrs per week at 7.77 per hr,she has a 16 year old son who attends college,she does not get or claims ESA ,JSA,Universal Credit ,PIP ,nothing!.Where does she start or what step come first to claim some or any benefits.. Very confusing ,and I don't want to give her mis-information. 

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @jose2,

There's an overview of the sick leave process on Gov.uk's website here, and also some more in-depth information on this website here. 

You might also like to give the Benefits Calculator a go, to see whether your friend may be eligible for anything else you may not be aware of.

Hope this helps! 

CockneyRebel

Claiming PIP is fairly straight forward if you use the guides availabe here and on the CAB site.
However it is not an easy benefit to claim and can cause a lot of stress
I would suggest that she/you start by taking the self teat on the B&W site

http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

This will give an insight of what is required and the possibility of qualifying

CR

jose2

Thank you so much for your help @PippaScope,looked at web pages you sent about what processes friend would have to go through.What I know about her finances at this time and a rough guess-timet apparently she would be £1.75 better off a week working,so no housing benefit would be given .Could she work and also apply for PIP?, Her son who is 16 yrs ,is classed as her carer,(by what she was telling me by his school )but receives no monies and never has done.Everything is so complicated to get your head around concerning what she has to do to be able to be able to finish work and live due to her  ever increasing health problems.Very tearful yesterday when I spoke to her (I was very worried about her)Also have noted her son also looks very depressed and looks a worried boy about his mums health and her struggling to work.   

CockneyRebel

PIP is a non means tested benefit and many people work full time and claim PIP as long as the work undertaken is not in conflict with the reasons for the PIP claim

CR

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @jose2,

If you can, it might be a good idea to give the Scope helpline a call about this on 0808 800 3333, especially if you're worried about the family's welfare. They may be able to offer some more in-depth information/support that could be beneficial. 

jose2

Thank you @CockneyRebel,at the moment she makes sandwiches in a cafe,which entails lots of standing and I suppose walking back and forth,so will suggest to her that she maybe able to make a claim for PIP and also do this little job ,to get ready for work she gets up at 3am attempts to get a bath/shower then gets dressed  which takes 2 and 1/2 hrs then calls a taxi to get her to work around 6am,(this costs abt £40.00 per month), I was flabbergasted when she explained her morning routine, she gets home around 12md gets her pj's on as unable to move because she's so exhausted,she doesn't want to eat or is too wiped out to even make her-self something to eat  and then goes to bed at 7pm . So I will let her know about at least trying to claim PIP.
Also thank you @PippaScope,I thought about who can I ring to get help for her and her son,I actually have thought and that  do you think that she inform her Gp how this c/o of her deteriorating health and how it is  affecting her son quite badly now .(she has never told anyone ,not even her GP how bad life is for her and her son ,as she was very worried that she may have her son taken off her) I was just listening and giving her loads of reassurance that this would not happen! Could she get help  from social services in some way to help her in a positive way. Even if it's just form filling for various services either financial or other help.  
Your all so kind ,you all helped me loads when I was having an ordeal getting and reinstating my PIP.