LCW and leaving employment.

owen394538

Hello, I'm on UC and LCW. Work is becoming less and less possible for me due to health problems such as chronic pain and autism which, for some reason, has become less manageable over the past year. I don't have it as bad as some, I know, but work is becoming impossible and I cant keep giving fit notes. So my next prospect is leaving work. I'm willing to do the work related activities my LCW award requires of me, but working my current job just doesn't feel possible anymore.

My question is: am I going to be able to live without sick pay? I find the machinations of these things so confusing and am worried that when I leave I'll barely be able to cover rent as apparently my total allowance before deductions is £606. It wouldn't be enough for me to subsist on, but is there something I'm missing here? Am I just going to have to force myself to go back to work?

TIA for any advice

poppy123456

I think only you can make that decision. Of course you will receive less money per month in total if you don't work. If you're under 25 your UC will be £265.31/month, without the housing element.

Have you looked at claiming PIP? Descriptors here. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @owen394538 Thank you for joining, and for posting about your situation! It's great to have you on board.

I can imagine that you might be feeling a bit stressed or worried about this- is that right? 

It can certainly be hard to make ends meet when living on benefits, especially with the current cost of living crisis. As poppy123456 has said, it's your decision to make as to whether it's worth it. Your health is, of course, really important. 

Have you considered whether there's a different type of work that might be more manageable for you? Or whether any adjustments could be made to your current role to make it more manageable? 

You might find the following helpful:

• Benefits calculator (Turn2Us) - to see what you might be entitled to claim
• Reasonable adjustments at work (Scope) 
• Employment services (Scope)

Are you receiving any support to help you manage your conditions, such as chronic pain and autism?