To wonder how you get by on SSP?

[CanItReallyBeSo]

Posting for traffic...

Mate of mine has chopped off the end of several fingers at work and been off for three weeks now. Going to be a few more as needs an op and his job is quite physical (construction).

He told me today he's only getting SSP which would go on for up to three months, although he shouldn't be off that long. Looking online it's only £88 a week and taxable. His monthly mortgage is £1200.

How do people with a normal lifestyle get by in the fallout to an industrial accident? Seems only option is using savings or accruing debt. Even UC isn't much extra I'm assuming.

They claim universal credit - it’s there for short term as well as long term

Get into debt? It’s shockingly low

It’s £116 for SSP I think.

Still not enough to live on.

Terrible situation, really feel for them. If it’s a workplace accident can he claim from the company? Is there some sort of negligence?

This is why I pay for income protection insurance. Should something like this happen, I’ll get an income I until I retire.

I rent so I'd be able to claim UC to pay my rent.

I really don't know how people who aren't entitled to UC would manage.

I don't think he'll want to claim as it's a small business and they're all mates. Boss is away so hopefully on his return he'll sort something but you can't bank on it.

Don't want to be too outing as I think his wife might be on here, but it was kind of his own fault, but could maybe argue they'd had no specific toolbox talk/training. But it's kind of like stubbing your toe on a step and breaking it (he trapped fingers). Could you really argue you hadn't been trained on how to climb a step? Obv bit different if it was complex machinery etc.

That said, we've done toolbox talks covering things like climbing out the trucks (making sure you don't step into a pothole/uneven ground and break an ankle etc) and that's kind of stating the obvious tbf.

It's crazy not to claim, they have insurance to cover things like this

I kind of thought that. But also understand it'd be weird taking a good mate to court.

Husband has been on it recently after heart failure. Thankfully i work full time and we dont have a big mortgage or childcare so we got through it
He is now being assessed for PiP.
SSP really needs to be increased. Its nobody's fault if they get ill or have an accident and the stress of not being able to pay bills while you are ill is horrible.

This is what I have critical illness cover for and chose a job that has full sick pay for 6 months; privileged position I realise as I don’t know how you’re supposed to survive on ssp

I'd wager it's probs those in the most dangerous jobs that are least likely to have cover - young working class men in trades/construction etc.

You don't. You properly insure yourself with income protection. And you build some savings to cover the hard times.

No it doesn't need to be increased! People need to take responsibility for themselves and insure themselves and build up savings to cover these sort of eventualities.

I've got savings but not insurance. I'd wager a lot of people don't have insurance.

True. But the ones that need it most. I educate as many as I can around me and I'll be taking out cover for my kids when they turn 18 (life and CIC as IP won't yet apply til they get 'proper' jobs really)

That's good but everyone should. It should be mandatory as it used to be to have a mortgage you had to have life cover - these days its all optional. It's cheapest when you're young so I always recommend everyone takes our something as young (and illness free) as they can.

That's good but everyone should. It should be mandatory as it used to be to have a mortgage you had to have life cover - these days its all optional. It's cheapest when you're young so I always recommend everyone takes our something as young (and illness free) as they can.

I have a mortgage and savings so wouldn't be eligible for enough UC. I'd be forced to use savings and hope for a payout if it was the result of an industrial accident.

Or get income protection and/or critical illness cover in place so you're not forced to use savings? It's often far cheaper than people think.

If SSP is to be increased, then the Govt will have to pay it again. For the last few years, SSP has to be paid entirely by the employer since the Govt changed the rules and stopped financing any of it. Employers, especially small ones, can't afford to pay higher SSP, on top of higher minimum wage, higher employers NIC, statutory employers workplace pension contributions and all the other ever increasing employment costs/burdens.

I agree with other posters that it's time people started taking responsibility for themselves and taking out income protection insurance.

Income protection insurance is vital.

He’ll have to make up some of the short fall with benefits, I’d be going to citizens advice first.

The problem is most people don’t know about SSP. We had a family member who was self employed and had an injury and literally thought that the SSP would match his usual income (which is insane if you think about it). He had no sickness protection and still doesn’t understand his self employment wages should cover sick pay as well and holiday and insurance and tax etc. Which is why he is paid more for a job than he would be if he was employed elsewhere.

Is he PAYE or self employed?SE would struggle to insure against loss of income.

The accident is likely to be reportable to HSE to avoid others incurring similar and the company should definitely conduct a review. There are usually lessons to be learned after and accident.

If the company has insurance then it's a claim and no need for court, it doesn't need to get nasty, in the same way other insurance pays out.

Agree, SSP is very low so extremely difficult if you needed to rely on it.

I assume this industrial injury has been reported to the HSE under RIDDOR? It absolutely needs to be if it has not.

You colleague also needs to take legal advice, as he may well be left disabled by this and from your description there may well be liability for the injuries.

I'm confused whether it's you, or a "mate" as you say "we've done toolbox talks"? Or is it a work colleague?

Anyway, I am not sure how you survive if you don't have savings or insurance. Good employers pay better than SSP.

He probably should seek advice on whether he can claim though as the work place will have insurance. And if the were decent they wouldn't just pay SSP so I am not sure the business is his "*good mate" if it only pays SSP