Leaving work threw ill health. I've not got a clue what I do after my 6 months sick pay is up

magsta222

Wondering if someone could help me im on the  sick from work  due to lots of illnesses.
I get pip daily living 
Cb

Working tax child tax

And I get the disabily element in my tax credits.
My son also leaves collage in July and does not know what he wants to do.
I get some housing benefit and council tax support I live in a council house.
I'm so scared as I've not got a clue what I do after my 6 months sick pay is up.

poppy123456

3 months before your SSP ends if you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions in tax years April 2019 to March 2021 you'll be able to put a claim in for New style ESA. You'll need a fit note and your SSP1 form. Payment won't start until your SSP ends. You'll receive £77 per week. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

Once your son leaves full time education then child tax credits and child benefit will both end for him. Once your SSP ends if you don't live with a working partner then your working tax credits will also end.

There will be no non dependent deductions for housing benefit because you're claiming PIP.

If you haven't paid the correct amount of NI contributions then have a look at claiming Universal Credit. If you claim this your housing benefit will end after 2 weeks. Help with the rent will be paid through UC.

calcotti

While you are entitled to SSP you are treated as still in work and can continue to receive Working Tax Credits.

You can claim Universal Credit. If you claim Universal Credit your Tax Credits (both Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit) end, as will your Housing Benefit. Worth doing a full benefit check to see whether you are better waiting until your Tax Credits end or whether you would be better off claiming now anyway. See if there's a local advice agency atet can do a benefit check for you. https://advicelocal.uk

If you claim UC you should declare your health condition, supported by a Fit Note, and will then be referred for a Work Capability Assessment.

After your SSP ends you can also claim new style ESA if your NI record for 2019-20 and 2020-21 is complete. If you claim both ESA and Uc the ESA is deducted from the ESA.

Your PIP is unaffected by anything.

magsta222

 When I get ESA do I have to go to any meeting etc will this go up as it's not a lot to live on £77 a week x

Will I have to pay full council tax or loose my 25% If son goes on to UC 

Someone said they take £75 a month off me x

poppy123456

You will need a work capability assessment for the ESA claim. If you’re placed into the Support Group your money will increase to £117.60 per week from the 14th week of your claim but it may take longer than this for a decision to be made.
If your son is no longer in education then you will lose the 25% single person discount. 

Your housing benefit will not be affected by any non dependent deductions because you claim PIP, as advised.

magsta222

Thankyou so can I claim ESA and UC at the same time or is it better just to stay on ESA 

poppy123456

If you claim both at the same time the ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. Your housing benefit will continue for 2 weeks and then stop. Tax credits will stop when you submit your claim for UC.

calcotti

To be clear.

You cannot claim ESA until your SSP has ended. You can, if you wish, claim UC now. 

magsta222

Will I be put in the lwca if I claim UC and ESA my friend says it's extra 
Just want to be sure what to apply for 
It's quite confusing

magsta222

I'm continuing to claim SSP untill September that will be 6 months 

poppy123456

magsta222 said:

Will I be put in the lwca if I claim UC and ESA my friend says it's extra 
Just want to be sure what to apply for 
It's quite confusing

That will depend on your health conditions and how they affect you. You won't receive this straight away, claiming PIP doesn't automatically entitle you to LCWRA. There are some health conditions that automatically entitle you to LCWRA but there's still a waiting period before the extra money is paid. It's paid from the 4th month after you report your health condition.

Some conditions that automatically entitle you to LCWRA are..

1. You are terminally ill, i.e. you are suffering from a progressive disease and your death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within 6 months

2. You are receiving treatment for cancer by way of chemotherapy or radiotherapy
For this to apply you must either be actually receiving it, or:
you are likely to receive such treatment within 6 months; or
you are recovering from such treatment;
and the decision maker is satisfied that you should be treated as having limited capability for work-related activity.

You can see the rest of the criteria here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

You will be referred for a work capability assessment after day 29 of your claim. Once this is done you'll be sent the work capability assesment form to fill in and return with all your evidence to support your claim. It could potentially be several months, sometimes longer before a decisions made. Unless you're automatically entitled to it.

There's some information here. https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-disability-universal-credit

poppy123456

You should use a benefits calculator before claiming because while still claiming SSP your working tax credits will continue. If you claim UC you could be worse off. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=95776b5c-582c-4eeb-aa97-7c26188e1ea0

You need to be 100% sure you won't be worse off because once you claim it, you can't go back to tax credits.

magsta222

So if I pass the test on ESA do I get it automatically from UC or do I have to claim 

poppy123456

You can't claim New style ESA until 3 months before your SSP ends and then you won't receive any money until your SSP ends. Whether you're entitled to it will depend on your NI contributions in the previous tax years, as has been advised.

Support Group criteria is the same as LCWRA which you can see in the link provided above.

magsta222 said:

So if I pass the test on ESA do I get it automatically from UC or do I have to claim 

No, you don't. New style ESA is completely different to UC. You don't automatically get "put" onto UC, you will need to claim it. But as advised, you shouldn't claim it until you've either used a benefits calculator or you've got a full benefits check from an advice agency near you.

If you're placed into the Support Group for ESA and you're also claiming UC then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element in with your maximum UC entitlement.

magsta222

Thankyou very much for all your help sorry to ask so many questions x

poppy123456

No worries, it is very confusing indeed.

L_Volunteer

Please feel free to ask away @magsta222. We are here with you. Hopefully, we can answer your questions. If not, we can at least signpost you to someone who may be able to 

poppy123456

L_Volunteer said:

Please feel free to ask away @magsta222. We are here with you. Hopefully, we can answer your questions. If not, we can at least signpost you to someone who may be able to 

All the questions that were asked have been answered.