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Original poster

Financial support for sudden sick leave?

30 replies

RudolphsJinglingBalls · 13/12/2018 17:13

Posting for traffic as this is urgent. My neighbour has just reapplied for an extension to his commercial driving licence as he is a truck driver and has a minor heart issue. His licence was awarded for 3 years in 2015 and in October give they asked him to reapply via the dvla. All was done accordingly but today he called to chase it and was told no- they won't renew it as he missed an appointment he did not know he had with his cardiologist.

He has called his gp and has been given an emergency prescription for new drugs and has the info for his new consultant and a 6 week sick note off his gp as he is now classed as unable to drive and work u til assessed

. Apparently he can get ssp of around £92 a week but that won't cover hills rent never mind bills. At this time of year it's going to take a week or two to chase up the consultant but is her titled to any other help at all? He has a council flat and is single but the very bare amount he needs s month to cover his bills is £800 all in and now he is worried he will lose his flat.

Any help or advice at all would be brilliant as he is at his wits end and worrying himself silly. He has no savings and only earns around £280 a week due to his age and reduced hours etc

OP posts:
Russiawithlove · 13/12/2018 17:23

The first thing he needs to do is ring the council and tell them what's happened. I'm not sure if he will get more than Sep but
The council should be able to advice. It's better that it's council than a private rent.

Russiawithlove · 13/12/2018 17:24

Meant SSP. He needs to speak to his employer. Some give full pay for first 2 months.

bigmouthstrikesagain · 13/12/2018 17:28

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/sick-pay/getting-money-when-youre-off-work-sick/#h-what-extra-money-you-could-be-entitled-to

Get your neighbour to local citizens advice for a benefits check he can get UC and an advanced payment

Original poster
RudolphsJinglingBalls · 13/12/2018 17:51

Thanks guys . His employers only pay minimum sick pay so that is what is worrying him. He hasn't even bought his 2 kids a xmas present yet and obviously that's at the bottom of the list but he was going to do it next week and now feels he has to ring fence what little money he has. I will pass all info along to him but will also be trying to help him sort it all tomorrow ( he has asd so struggles communicating etc)

OP posts:
CrispbuttyNo1 · 13/12/2018 17:55

He could ask his employers if he can be put on other duties, the doctor may advise he can do light duties that don’t involve driving. Check if he has accrued holiday and then he can get that maybe instead of sick pay. Ask his employers for an advance. Speak to the council etc and see if he can defer his bills for a couple of months.

Original poster
RudolphsJinglingBalls · 14/12/2018 00:28

I have spoken to him again tonight after he has calmed down and he does have holidays booked from 21st december to the -3rd Jan but I have no idea how this sick period will impact this whole thing.

In his role, there really isn't much scope for light duties. One office manager, the rest are drivers. So i'm not sure how that would work?

OP posts:
Original poster
RudolphsJinglingBalls · 14/12/2018 00:28

I will follow up on all suggestions and let you all know asap. Thank you so much!

OP posts:
TheChristmasBear · 14/12/2018 00:41

You’re a good neighbour.

jxnx · 14/12/2018 02:26

Speak to citizens advise if you can they are very helpful! As far as I am aware you don't get esa until you have been on so for 26 weeks ( oh was off for cancer treatment last year) he may be entitled to things like working tax credit even though he's off he is still technically employed. Look at the site "entitledto.com" might give him a clearer picture.

jxnx · 14/12/2018 02:28

Ssp for 26 weeks not so

abacucat · 14/12/2018 04:06

SSP is only £73 a week. Yes it is shit. I was on SSP for 8 weeks last year. He needs to speak to the council and to his bank about a loan or overdraft. He also needs to apply for council tax rebate. He earns a bit more than the minimum he needs to live, so he could afford to repay a loan.

MaverickSnoopy · 14/12/2018 06:56

I helped a family member out a few months ago with similar. We went to citizens advice and they recommended that she phone all debtors, suppliers etc, to explain the situation and ask for reduced or no payments.

Is he any good with spreadsheets? I suggest he puts together a quick income and expenditure for say 4-5 months where he works out a plan to pay back what he will owe. Eg "hi British Gas I can't pay you this month because I'm off sick but I can spread the cost over 3 months (Feb, Mar, Apr)" etc. He obviously needs to work out how and when he will be able to afford to pay everything. CAB advised that most companies are pretty good and will agree because they'd rather something than nothing and a plan to get the money is in their interests. Everyone helped her in some capacity bar Vodafone who's response was shocking and we reduced her monthly bills payment from £400 to £60.

He will need to go to CAB asap anyway to get food bank vouchers. In my family members case they gave her one a week for a month. They really were fantastic.

There's a lot of good advice on this thread and a bit of everything will help.

FYI re sick pay and annual leave. I used to work in HR and if you have a doctor's note then by law annual leave should be taken at another time so it's not lost. That doesn't help him in the case that he wants to be paid. Perhaps the prudent thing would be to get a sick note from after the period of annual leave. He won't need another appointment and could be sorted out over the phone if the GP agrees, which they may not be able to due to the nature of the reason for being signed off.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 14/12/2018 07:00

On the present thing, can he get out to charity shops? Or could you give him a lift? The ones around me have so much good stuff at this time of year and lots of it brand new for so little money. I know he shouldn’t be prioritising presents but if he can get something for £2 or so then that would stop him worrying about that aspect?

irunlikeahipoo · 14/12/2018 08:04

Tell him to ask housing benefit for a nill Income assement with regards to his rent
They. Might make him pay 20 pounds towards his Rent so that his sick pay is the same as jSA amount but it will mean that he gets his rent and council tax paid

irunlikeahipoo · 14/12/2018 08:06

Oh if SSP is 73 a week then he will be able to keep all of that as it’s the same as JSA tell him to urgently apply for a housing benefit nill income
As he is in a council flat it won’t be as hard to sort out
If he was in private housing it would take longer

PoutySprout · 14/12/2018 08:11

I used to work in HR and if you have a doctor's note then by law annual leave should be taken at another time so it's not lost.

Sorry, that’s not true.

PoutySprout · 14/12/2018 08:11

Doctors notes aren’t legal documents, for a start. So they can’t be required “by law”.

Babyroobs · 14/12/2018 08:16

Depending on his area he will need to.claim housing benefit or Universal credit. Inthink most areas are now full service for UC.

Original poster
RudolphsJinglingBalls · 14/12/2018 11:52

Citizens advice cant see him until February but we have made an appointment as his cardiologists secretary said this morning that the first appointment they have for the ECG is 6 weeks away, then he needs a follow up appointment 3 months later to be signed off from the GP. he is totally gutted as he is due a knee replacement in march/April.

I am going to see if he can go to work for next week, then take his paid holiday and in the next week see of its possible to get an ECG or cardiologist privately? is that even a possibility? he is worried he will be disciplined. if work can't take him for the week then it looks like UC is the way to progress :(

OP posts:
Thehop · 14/12/2018 11:57

What??? Can you find a cab helpline number? There are normally drop in sessions

abacucat · 14/12/2018 11:57

Being ill is very hard financially for a lot of people. The council and utilities people will be used to this scenario, and since unlike some people he will be returning to work, they will help him sort out a payment plan. He can do this himself - he needs to ring them.

Original poster
RudolphsJinglingBalls · 14/12/2018 12:01

@TheHop the CAB only has one afternoon a week in our town, and all appointments must be prebooked. He can't travel as he doesn't have a car and as you can imagine with him needing a knee replacement, his mobility is not very good.

OP posts:
abacucat · 14/12/2018 12:26

He can't travel? Surely there must be a bus or someone who can give him a lift?
And he can ring people himself. And apply for universal credits online.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 14/12/2018 12:29

Oh this is so awful.

I know it's so much easier said than done, but you can see why they (whoever "they" are) say you should try and keep a couple of months' worth of salary in savings.

Poor bloke. Hope it all works out for him, he must be climbing the walls with worry, especially at this time of year Xmas Sad

abacucat · 14/12/2018 12:37

The key is to contact everyone asap. Council will wait if they know his situation, universal credits will give him money if he applies, utilities will wait if money is coming. The £73.10 will feed him and meet day-to-day costs - it is what single people get when unemployed., and they have to pay utilities and contribution to rent as well. I know it is hard, I have been there, but there are people who are poorer than him in Britain. He needs to make those phone calls and apply for universal credit. And take his paid annual leave.

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