to admit defeat and be signed off sick and made to live on UC at 39 years old 😢

[SoUnwell]

I have been unwell now for 3 years and lost 4 jobs because of it.
I have gone from job to job in hope I’ll suddenly get better and be able to work as I feel so young to just accept I am unable to.
I have long covid and fibromyalgia ( brought on my long covid ) as well as a b12 deficiency I’ll need monthly injections for life on as my body no longer absorbs anything

I have really tried
I am 2 weeks into another job and can feel all my symptoms coming back
The constant pain and exhaustion is too much to bear

I think the time has come accept defeat and just follow the GPs advice which is to not work tor the time being

How do I go about all of this?

Im already on a small amount of UC as my wages are so low so will they top me up a little until I apply for PIP?
So confused and very worried as have 3 young children

I’m not sure how so many people with mental health issues are able to meet all these points - I know of a few people in this boat and still have young children they take care of but don’t work

I am trying my best to stay in employment - I just don’t know what will happen if they sack me because of my sickness if I physically am too unwell and in too much pain to manage

If you are out of work due to this and you argue that you are too unwell to work, then they will check that you are not well enough to work. They usually first ask for a sick note from your doctor covering around 12 weeks (think about whether you’d be able to even do this, as I know you said above your GP actually said coming out of work was not the answer) during that 12 weeks I believe you are presumed to have LCW so would recieve an additional £130ish a month UC, then you have to fill out the WCA form, the result of which dictates whether you will get the extra amount of UC at all, or which you will get. The amount for LCW is around £130 per month, but you still have to do “work related activities” with that one. The other which is much harder to get is LCWRA so no work or work related activities and is about £350 per month, but as I say the questions on the WCA form include the ones in my previous reply as well as others. If you can press a button on a key pad or phone, can communicate a basic message, can provide meals for yourself and your kids etc, you’re going to find it very difficult to argue you have LCWRA, you may be able to argue for LCW though but that would still leave you having to do work related activities and eventually your coach likely would refer you on.

I have bipolar, supplied 20 years of medical evidence - letters from psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists and scored zero points in 2020.

I work full time as a result.

Gosh I’m sorry to hear that

I guess I’ll just try and keep going and hope they don’t sack me whilst on probation for being off so much 😢

Did you work full time without any attendance or job issues before you had long covid? Have you held jobs for a long time before you got covid?

I assume you have a medical team treating you? The medical professionals who know you well and for a long period of time and manage your illnesses should be the ones assessing your need for sick leave and writing any necessary documentation.

I never had a day off sick before I got covid

Have been employed constantly since 18-37 years old with no health issues
Healthy pregnancies etc

The problem is that I don’t have a massive health team treating me as I’ve been trying so hard to keep going to work so although I’m seeing the GP A LOT and under the long covid clinic there’s not been any more advice other than to not work by some of them / rest more by others

You don't get any extra money if on LCW.

Ah yes @TigerRag apologies, just checked and this changed April 2017 though there are a few exceptions if OP satisfies any of them, I’m not sure

You do

No @SoUnwell since April 2017 you typically don’t get any additional payment for LWC, you only do for LWCRA. I have just checked the government website on this if you take a look though there are some exceptions if you qualify for them, mainly it requires you to have been in receipt of benefits before April 2017 and claiming LWC or assessed for it before that date

Sorry I meant for the one where you cannot work due to ill health

This was what my normal GP told me to apply for as I’m off work so much

The one you receive extra money for is the LCWRA, which is too unwell to work or do work related activities. This is the one that’s incredibly difficult to get and which goes off a points system following completion of the WCA, the one a previous poster has said despite 20 years of medical evidence they scored 0 points. It really is very hard to satisfy, essentially if you can communicate a simple message and receive a simple message (which is proved by communicating with UC anyway), can press a button on a key pad (proved by any correspondence with them), walk 50 meters even if this involves use of walking aids (you have said you walk your children to school), stand and sit down, as well as other really basic things, you’re not going to get it.

I do think it would be worth looking at work in the public sector something like admin work, as I think I’ve said previously in my job you can apply for totally remote working and can also apply for flexible working as suits for health or other reasons. This means you could for example work a 16 hour week over the entire week, just a few hours a day etc rather than a job where you have to be there ALL day.

It is a really tricky situation to be in x

Thank you all 😢