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cath2506
cath2506 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
edited March 2021 in Work and employment
Hello everyone,

I am new to scope and the forums so thought I’d introduce myself. 

I have been disabled for almost 4 years after contracting sepsis. I was in ICU for many weeks and they discovered that the septic shock had damaged my heart valve and I had to have open heart surgery and now have a mechanical valve. I also had to relearn how to walk.

Ever since, I have struggle with chronic fatigue and Muscle pain. I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia secondary to the sepsis. My GP believes the trauma my body has been through has brought it on.

I have tried to go back to work and I’m only contracted for 12 hours at the moment but I’m struggling with it. So much so that I’m seriously considering finishing on I’ll health retirement.

I was wondering if anyone else has been through finishing work due to ill health and if you had any success in getting your pension paid early? I imagine it’s not easy to get as it’s difficult to prove that I’ll never get better before retirement age even though I know I won’t (I’m 40 at the moment). 

Any info would be very much appreciated.

I hope you all feel well.

Thank you 
Cath x
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi I drew my pension when I was 55 I just had to fill a form in I had it in a lump sum some pay by cheque some pay into your bank account  I found it easy I contacted my pension provider I had my money as soon as they received my form so roughly about two weeks 

    Also welcome to the community hope you enjoy ?
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  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,432 Disability Gamechanger
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        You cannot access your state pension before retirement age only a private pension and I think you have to be 55 to access it.( Someone will correct me if I'm wrong). It sounds awful that your health is so bad, and I do hope you can work out what is best for yourself work wise.
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  • cath2506
    cath2506 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
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    Hi Lisa

    Thank you very much for your reply and the information. I’m so glad to hear you had a positive experience with getting your pension. 

    Thanks again
    Cath ☺️
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  • cath2506
    cath2506 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
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    Hi VikingQueen

    Thank you for your reply. It is my private pension with my employer that I am looking to access and I’m able to access it at any age providing I am unable to work again before my retirement age. To prove this is difficult though so I’m wondering if anyone has been through it and what medical evidence they provided. If that makes sense! 

    Thanks again 

    Cath ?
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  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,432 Disability Gamechanger
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         Thank you for correcting me, I haven't been in you position so am unable to give you any help, but someone on the forum may know.
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    If you know who your pension provider is you can speak to them and they will let you know what to do any one  55 and over can take their pension if its a private pension I have taken both mine out  your employer cant stop you  I took my tesco pension when I was 55 and my pension I had built up as a carer last year before Xmas one was paid by cheque one straight into my bank account 

    I didnt close my pension provider though I now pay 20.00 a month into it on my own 

    Your pension pot belongs to you not your employer so its your choice at the end of the day 
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  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi and welcome 

    I haven't done it myself but dealt with it as a HR manager for many employees 

    You are correct it is hard to get ill health retirement wh7ch is d7fferent from drawing your pension early 

    You will need to go through pension provider medical assessment and then get pension board approval as basically to qualify they are saying you will never be for to work again in any capacity 

    An alternative is meducal dismissal this doesnt involve your pension at all and is dismissal in medical grounds meaning you cant do that job or any alternative role in the company 

    I suggest you ask for company policy for both 

    Dont just leave your job as it could affect future benefit entitlement 

    Happy to give more info if you need it also ACAS have great website you may find useful 
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    @janer1967 sorry about that I was only referring to get getting the pension early  not to the early retirement ?
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  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,432 Disability Gamechanger
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       @lisathomas50 the post states she is only 40 therefore your posting won't apply.
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    @vikingqueen that's why I said you had to be 55 before you could draw your pension early I was only commenting  on that part of the post  not the early retirement part as they are two different things  and @janer1967 has just posted about that side of things 
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  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
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    Most pension schemes dont let you draw funds until you are 55 which is classed as early retirement 

    What the op was looking at is ill health retirement which can be any age but means you are deemed unfit to continue work . So there is a lot more to this as obviously a huge cost to pension provider to pay out from age of 40 

    No problem @lisathomas50 just not the same situation as yours 
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    @janer1967 would the person be able to go on the sick and do it that way just a question  ?
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    @janer1967 that's why I apologised and thank you for the response appreciated 
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  • cath2506
    cath2506 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
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    Thank you so much everyone for your help and your replies to my question. I appreciate them all.

    Janer1967, thank you for your information also. I will look at ACAS. I certainly don’t want to just hand my notice in and feel I need to at least try to get my pension if I can. It’s not a large pension pot, I wouldn’t have much but it would certainly be a help.

    I didn’t realise medical dismissal was different to finishing on ill health but I will be looking into all my options. I have no idea if my health conditions will qualify for my pension but I honestly can’t see me getting any better or ever being able to work for more than 30 hours again in the future. I’ve tried many different treatments and my GP doesn’t know what to say to me anymore! I’ve got medical evidence of what happened to me,

    I just don’t know how I’m supposed to prove that I won’t get better. So I feel I need to try as I’ve had enough of struggling and pushing myself to work and not being able to move when I get home. I rely on my mother for a lot of help and I already claim pip. Would you have any idea if this would help with my pension case and if the pension doctors take this into consideration at all? 

    Thanks again and I look forward to trying to catch up on all your stories and posts when I can ?
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  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
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    @lisathomas50 yes that's why I mentioned medical dismissal but that isnt linked to pension so there would be no income 

    Some companies pay a compensation for this a bit similar to redundancy but not all 

    That's why I advised to get company policy for both 

    Also bear in mind the poster only works 12 hours so it isnt a full time role 

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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    @janer1967 thank you for that its nice to be able to learn different things very much appreciated 
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
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    @cath2506 hope you get things sorted 
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  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
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    @cath2506

    Being on pip could help but PIP is about daily living not work 

    All you can do is try 

    First thing would be to get referred to oh for work place assessment and they will recommend next action and if you would be candidate for retirement or dismissal or alternative role 

    You could also speak to your hr dept and ask them what your options are and for copy of the policies 

    Just take your time and dont rush into anything 

    You could be entitled to benefits dependant on your circumstances which would mean you could leave your pension where it is and could even pay more than you would get from your pension 
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  • cath2506
    cath2506 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
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    Thank you so much. I will look into things further and get as much information as I can. I won’t rush into it as it’s a huge decision to make. I’ve always worked since I was 16 so it worries me sick to give my job up. I appreciate all the information you’ve given me xx 
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  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
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    Your welcome 

    I empathise I always worked in a good career till I became disabled 

    I had sepsis too 3 times due to infections and lost my leg as a result 
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