What do you do if you can’t get pip but you can’t work ?

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Can you only be exempt due to medical issues if you get pip is there any way round this at all?

I don't understand what you mean. Please can you elaborate?

PIP isn't based on work. It's based on your care and /or mobility needs.

For UC - how do you explain to them you can’t work if you haven’t been able to get pip?
Is a drs letter enough or do they do an interview to assess ?

As PIP isn't based on whether you can work, your post still isn't making sense.

You need to get a fit note (sick note) from your GP stating you can't work for UC.

The two are separate. You can be assessed as unfit to work for uc purposes but not for pip.

Lots of people who get PIP work OP. I'm not really sure what you're asking. You would be better going on ESA.

Ok Thankyou I wasn’t sure. I assume they’ll just do an assessment then

You can't get ESA any more unless it's contributions based. (New Style ESA) It's now all UC.

Ah ok, thank you.

Yes you’ll need to keep dropping in fit notes to the job centre until you get awarded PIP. It’s a nightmare.

Make sure you appeal PIP, they deny the first claim as standard (in my experience/ from comments I’ve read)

They still can’t force work at this point, though they will do all they can to encourage it.

You don't need fit notes for PIP. You need fit notes for UC if you're unfit for work or ESA.

Yes I know, my DP went through the process. He needed to keep dropping in fit notes to keep receiving UC while he applied / appealed for PIP, to be clear.

You can apply for ESA if you’ve paid No for the last 2 years.

I was in your shoes, and got ill health retirement.

I was ill last year and Uc sent out a health assessment form. I never filled it out as I recovered but you’d be exempt from search for work requirements. I don’t think you’d get any extra though and UC is difficult to live on.

You'd have a work capability assessment eventually, but in the meantime it's fit notes. PIP is unrelated to ability to work, it's needs based.

If you get a sick note saying that you are unfit for work, the universal credit people will send you for a work capability assessment and that will decide if you have a limited capability for work or a limited capability for work-related activity.

If you keep handing in fit notes you will be sent for a capability assessment. I have been assessed as having limited capability for work and work related activities and get extra money on top of my standard allowance.

it’s worth appealing the pip decision.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow my dh is in this position and I wondered if you don't mind sharing a bit on how the process of ill health retirement was?

It depends on his industry. I was a teacher. I got a lot of help from my union and had to submit reports/letters from medical professionals. It was very time consuming and hard work, but it was worth it.

What are the criteria for PIP? I assumed it’s only possible to apply if someone is unfit to work.

As others have pointed out, there are two streams of benefits you can potentially be eligible for if you are ill or disabled.

Universal Credit (UC) is means-tested and can include a ‘not for for work’ element if you provide a GP fit note to that end, and then, in due course, are assessed at not fit for work at a medical assessment. If you have been working and paying NI for a few years then you could, instead, claim New Style ESA which is not means-tested but based on having enough NI contributions. You can usually only get this for a year, after which you would need to apply for UC if entailed.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is non means tested and eligibility is based on your care and mobility needs, recognising that being ill or disabled costs you money. It’s available to those in and out of work and is assessed via a (different) medical assessment.

As PPs have said you can be awarded one or both of the above. PIP tends to be the gateway benefit for other disability support, whereas UC tends to be the gateway for low income support (if that makes sense).

Basically, if you cannot work because of your ill health or disability then UC is probably what you need to be looking at applying for initially.

Do they contact work and gp for evidence? X

I’ll health retirement do.

With pip they just contact Gp.

People who work full time can get PIP.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow ok thankyou x so i dont need any info from work? Kinda glad cause my manager gosdips and dont want everyone knowing my business x