fybromialgia and benefits

[email protected], I think what serena09 means is that FM is a medical condition whereas a disability is something that you have as a result of an illness or injury. FM is recognised and you can apply for benefit. However as you are working your chances of success may be reduced. Hopefully a benefit advisor will be along soon to give you more advice about how best to move forward to make life easier for you...

Hi @begona,

Have you discussed your condition with your employer and how tired it makes you? If you are considering reducing your hours, are you considering this with your current employer or looking for another job?

You may want to look at the https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org and their range of factsheets about working with a disability (such as the access to work scheme for instance).

In terms of benefits you may be able to access, PIP is benefit which is paid irrespective of whether you are in work or not. It is not a benefit that is paid because your condition means that you unable to work, instead it is supposed to reflect the additional costs that you have because of your disabilities / illnesses.

However, DWP PIP decision makers may use examples of tasks that you are able to undertake in your working life as evidence that you do not require additional assistance / supervision or aids and therefore conclude that you do not qualify for PIP. I would recommend looking at the ‘tests’ for PIP to see if think you might qualify. The above link to disability rights factsheets or https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk should be able to help.

If you reduce your hours you may be able to access means tested benefits to ‘top up’ your income. You should contact a local advice centre or visit a website such as turn2us.org.uk to explore the various benefits that might be able to help if you reduce your wages. I strongly advise that you get advice about any potential means tested benefits you may or may not be entitled to before reducing your hours. There is no guarantee that you would get any ‘top up’ – means tested benefits can vary on the hours you work / wages and other income / capital / family circumstances / housing / council tax and which area you live in.

There is also a benefit called Employment and Support Allowance which you might consider if need to give up work due to your illness. Again, I would seek advice about this benefit from a local advice centre or from the above sources.

Hope this information can start you off in the right direction.

Laura