Advice on ill health retirement

method
method Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Work

I battle schizophrenia and anxiety everyday. I have tried to grit my teeth and work my civil service job for the past few years. I've taken time off sick every year but not much.

I struggle to work and it's gotten worse over the years. I don't know what to do. A colleague suggested I pursue ill health retirement but I thought it was only for terminal illnesses.

Ill health retirement is such a small amount, I don't think I can afford it.

I'm feeling really lost right now. Any advice?

Psychiatrists tell me i'm "high functioning" but I am suffering so much. They don't understand.

Comments

  • Mary_Scope
    Mary_Scope Posts: 5,741 Scope Online Community Children and Family Specialists

    Hi @method and a warm welcome to the community from me!

    Thank you for telling us a little bit about your situation.

    If you do retire early because of ill health you may be entitled to other benefits, so it may be worth running your situation through the Turn2us Benefits Calculator. Do you claim PIP at the moment?

    We do have quite an active ill health retirement discussion on the community which may be helpful to have a look at and post in.

    I also found some information on Ill Health Retirement that may be helpful.

  • Bydand
    Bydand Community Member Posts: 260 Empowering
    edited September 12
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/148893/advice-on-ill-health-retirement

    Hi, sorry to hear that you are struggling with your health and subsequently your work as a result. It often feels like a revolving door when trying to manage a health condition and work at the same time. There often comes a time though when the reality is that you really struggle with both to the point of actually making yourself even more ill….and so the cycle continues. I realise finances are paramount in most people’s minds and it’s easy for me or anyone else to say your health comes first but you do need to listen to what your body is telling you. Making do and struggling for years because you think you have no other options is a recipe for disaster.

    ill health retirement is an option for employees who are really struggling and employers who may be finding it difficult to manage you effectively and sympathetically. You do not specifically need to have a terminal illness.

    There is very specific criteria you would have to meet and these are usually laid out within your specific pension policy. It is a good idea to get a copy of this.

    I am more than happy to try and answer questions you may have having gone through the process myself, but what I would suggest initially to start of with (and you may have done some of these already) is

    1/ Register with the civil service pensions portal, this has a useful amount of information within it

    2/ Read the civil service ill health retirement procedural guide which is fairly comprehensive and explains what you need to know and be aware of. Just do an online search and it will bring this up.

    I won’t go into too much detail at the moment as it can often feel overwhelming at first but reach out if you want to ask anything, I am more than willing to help or just reassure.

    I realise you have posted again on the forum with similar questions but if I can I will answer this one only so as not to jump between posts as it might be easier.

    Kindest

    Scott

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