Benefits advice.

[fudgesmummy]

Hi all,
After months of chronic pain in my legs, back and hips I have received a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in both my hips.
I now have no other choice than to give up my job.
My DH and I owned a business and worked together so as of 3 weeks time we will have no income at all between us.
We are 58 and 61 so we are both under pensionable age, we luckily have no dependents and managed to pay off our mortgage last year.
We were in a huge amount of debt up to a few years ago but with the help of StepChange, an lot of hard work and doing without we now don’t owe anything to anyone or even have any credit cards.
We have a small amount of savings but they won’t last long with no income.
DH is already looking for another job and is willing to do anything.
He has had serious mental health issues in the past and doesn’t cope very well with stress, so I am a bit anxious about him having to start a new job.
Until I am able to have both hips replaced I will be unable to work, the pain and my mobility are so bad I can hardly leave the house.
The wait on the NHS is 2 to 5 years in my area.
Does anyone have any advice as to what benefits I might be entitled to, and how I go about claiming them?
Thanks in anticipation

You can apply for pip once your condition has affected you for at least 3 months and if your condition is likely to still be the same, or worse, for the next 9 months. There is no guarantee it will be awarded though.
https://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim

you can also claim universal credit but will have to have a sick note from the GP and have a capability assessment to assess if you are actually unable to do any work. I hope you don’t have to wait as long as you fear, living in pain is awful.
www.gov.uk/health-conditions-disability-universal-credit#:~:text=You%20may%20be%20able%20to,your%20'capability%20to%20work'.

I’m not sure on the New ESA rules but also worth applying for.
www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/how-to-claim

Thank you for your prompt and helpful reply.
I have been trying to avoid, what I knew would be the outcome, for at least the last 6 months.
I know I should have stopped working but I just couldn’t face the loss of my very successful business that I have given my whole life to for the last 30 years 🥲
I shall follow those links, thanks again