If you can’t work due to health problems but don’t get PIP what do you do??

[Endometriosisproblems]

I don’t understand the UC system for this - if you don’t get PIP can you still get LCWRA?

I can’t work due to severe gynae issues and although I could get a GP letter and have seen a consultant/ had some surgeries I’m now discharged as all the other treatments are only suitable if my family is complete and it isn’t (plan is another baby if that’s even possible then hysterectomy). So basically I have to get re referred when ready for hysterectomy

Can my GP just keep issuing notes is that the only way ?

If you need a mobility scooter to enable you to complete basic tasks because you are unable to walk, virtually unable to walk m, then you would be entitled to claim PIP which is not means tested so having property would not matter.

All you can do OP is go through the benefits application process.

Don't know if this is applicable to you, but if you're trying to get rid of awful periods and can't have a hysterectomy, can you ask your doc about the Prostap Injection?

It triggers chemical menopause, an Injection every 3 months. Once you go off it, should return to normal. It is not a contraceptive! I've been on it 9m and oh my God, no periods finally. All other things I tried made me bleed constantly or wont work for me. I'm too medically unstable for a hysterectomy unfortunately .

NRTFT but is your husband on a low income?

@AboutVattime , I've replied previously when I looked into, I didn't "qualify" for anything ( i cant remember full details) but I needed it one so I bought one. I've bought other mobility aids and reconfigured how my house is used.
Someone replied with a lot of information I'll look into it.

@Endometriosisproblems
The online calculators aren't perfect, but still worth doing imo. The are inaccurate if you are a student. They are sometimes not perfect around disability.
However it would still be worth doing it on the basis of income alone, as it may be your partner earns too much anyway (for income based benefits such as UC). If on the basis of income you may quality then I would seek out a support org for your condition and see what they advise about whether your disability is enough to qualify.

Also as pp says you may qualify for contributions based ESA (might be called something different now, sorry!) which is a benefit worked out based on previous NI contributions

Well no, she’s eligible for treatment but choosing not to take it because she wants another child. Completely different.

When the treatment is irreversible surgery that will prevent her ever having a child I think it’s sensible that she’s waiting.

WTF is wrong with you all? Badgering a woman who’s making a difficult medical decision and in pain?

MN is meant to be a supportive space for women and here we have benefit bashing, woman bashing, complete disregard for the seriousness of hysterectomy in your 30s, seemingly no understanding of how endo and other gynae issues can affect a woman’s ability to work but not necessarily mean she shouldn’t be a parent.

I work at home because I know the only person I’m letting down is myself! I still make sure my kids are ok and keep on top of the house as much as I can, but I don’t need to be fully dressed on put on an ‘ok’ face to do it.

When I have to work outside of the house I’m exhausted, not just from the extra physical effort but from the mental overload of masking the pain I’m in constantly. With something like endo when you’re also dealing with the stress and worry of bleeding through your clothes etc of course it’s going to be worse than being a mum when you can mostly choose how/where to spend your time.

And people seem to be missing that the lack of periods while pregnant mean that the OP WON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH HER ILLNESS for nine months and will then get the hysterectomy asap afterwards, so all these people banging on about the ‘poor child’ being brought into the world without a capable mother to care for it, give yourself a shake.

If you want help on filling in the application, PM me. I did it last year for DH and a few years ago for DS. I can share what I put, although you'd have to adapt it of course

The OP's choices:

• delay getting sterilised in order to complete her family, but will need to claim benefits as will be too ill to work until she's had a hysterectomy.
• have a hysterectomy now so she doesn't need to claim benefits. This will obviously mean sacrificing the chance to have another child.

Which option have you been arguing is the morally 'correct' choice?

Or are you going to argue that she should opt for a third choice which would be 'don't have a hysterectomy as you want to have another child and be too unwell to work during this time, but don't claim the benefits you may be entitled to as someone who is too unwell to work'.

You don't get LCWRA just because you have a health problem. You have to convince the DWP that you are incapacitated by your illness and are therefore unable to work. They might say no. The risk for you is that you might have to look after a baby while being unwell, and with no money which sounds grim.

Read back through this thread - the contempt for benefits claimants is appalling. And that's contempt for people who are claiming benefits to which they're legally entitled, not for people claiming benefits dishonestly.

There's currently a lot of discussion around why so many pensioners on very low incomes aren't claiming pension credit they're entitled to, and therefore won't be getting the winter fuel allowance that they're also entitled to if they're getting pension credit. Maybe some people should stop and consider the extent to which they're contributing to the toxic and ideologically driven rhetoric around benefits, and think about the impact this is having on the wellbeing of those who need to claim them.

Anyone can get ill after having a baby, and plenty of people do.

Most people here have chosen to have children with no guarantee of a permanent income or ongoing good health.

She would have to wait for treatment and then there will be a long recovery period too, all the while she is unable to work. There’s also no guarantee this will mean she is able to return to work.

Being on the waiting list and not being able to work is one thing.

Delaying going on the waiting list for 12/18 months plus birth recovery time (and im guessing not wanting surgery with a new born, then toddler) all whilst having the tax payer fund it is another.

I’ve had a long talk with my parents today (well my mum) and she then spoke with my dad and they’ve said that they would be able to help with the cost of private treatment for both IVF if I needed help to conceive and after if there was a long waiting list for hysterectomy on the nhs. They helped my sister with a house deposit and were going to offer us the same but said if this is more important then they are happy to. So in a way a lot of issues solved. I was feeling quite down last night / this morning about it all so had to go and offload to someone

I'm honestly really confused that the system allows you to choose not to have treatment until you have another child, and have enough to live on during that time.

I've worked since I was a teenager because despite multiple disabilities, I'm not eligible for any benefits. I had to have an emergency hysterectomy due to a severe gynae issue (no chance to family plan) and I was in work the week before and 8 weeks later, because SSP isn't enough for me to live on.

There have been a few comments on MN threads from women who are living on benefits whilst they manage their family planning, and I genuinely don't understand how the system allows them to manage financially, when I have never been entitled to a thing despite being pretty unwell for the entirety of my working life.

I have no idea. I need to work until I can have my surgery and then be back in work ASAP
I don't think benefits will pay for my mortgage and bills if I can't work

Yes you can get LCWRA and not get PIP, your GP could issue a longer term fit note. If your husband works and earns a reasonable amount then you may not get any UC though as it’s all based on household income. There’s a good manual calculator here https://www.uceplus.co.uk/how-much-will-my-payment-be

You could look into applying for new style ESA (employment and support allowance) if you have been working and paying national insurance. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

I’m not sure about the benefits calculation and how accurate it would be it seems we would only get a small amount of UC as we rent ? Dh earns over the couples aet I suppose I could apply and see

Yeah,I had to have a hysterectomy age 30. No drama. 🙄

She's not said her family is complete, so why are you telling her it is?

And why are you telling her she's not in a position to have another baby?

Huge numbers of people in the country and on this board couldn't feed their kids or keep a roof over their heads without government support with childcare and housing costs. Are you going to argue that people in low paid work simply shouldn't have children because doing so means they'll have to claim benefits?

Your basic stance seems to be that nobody should make decisions in life that will result in them needing to enter the welfare system.

Do look in to contributions based ESA. It is separate to UC and not means tested. You can claim it provided you have worked enough over the previous two years and are signed off. It's easy to claim and you submit your fit notes electronically.

Thanks I’m going to