SSP

[Doffodils]

Is this something you get regardless of savings and household income?

DH is seriously ill and unlikely to work for several months, if ever. His employers have been great and are still paying him despite his official entitlement being long gone. However, I'm very concerned that this can't last forever.

Fortunately, we have some savings and I have a decent income but obviously the prospect of losing his income is huge.

I've been doing some sums and I can make everything balance, just, if he gets the £90 or so pw SSP.

Would he still get that, even though we have my income?

I'm sorry to hear that your husband is so unwell. SSP is based on a minimum earnings threshold, so your earnings and any savings won't be taken into account. It is payable for a maximum of 28 weeks though and any of occupational sick pay is usually offset against SSP so the 28 weeks is likely to have started from the 4th day of absence.

www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/eligibility

Ah OK, so what happens after 28 weeks? You move to means tested benefits?

I.e he wouldn't be entitled to anything?

@Doffodils

Ah OK, so what happens after 28 weeks? You move to means tested benefits?

If he has worked and paid NI contributions over the past 2-3 years he should be able to claim new style ESA once his SSP ends. This is a contributions based benefit and can be claimed regardless of your income or savings. It is not a lot though, it starts off at around £75 a week potentially rising to £113 if placed in the work group which has been assessed as not able to work. You may also be entitled to means tested benefits ( Universal credit ) as well but that would depend on your earnings, whether you pay rent, have kids etc and you would not be able to claim UC if you have savings over 16k.

You may be able to claim Universal credit now whilst he is in receipt of just SSP, but again would depend on your earnings, savings, kids and rent.

We won't be entitled to Universal Credit or anything means tested. I have a decent income and we are mortgage free, so things could be much worse, but of course, you live to your means and switching to one income will take some adjustment, probably, long term, a house move. We can manage if he can get about £300 pm or I increase very young adult DCs' keep

It's worth double checking if he has any form of health insurance through work. We have it as standard which means that company sick pay is full for 13 weeks, half for another 13 weeks then 6 more months half pay via health insurance. It's actually really badly advertised by work, just signed up automatically and you only really know about it if you end up off sick or like me, manage someone who was in that situation.

@Doffodils

We won't be entitled to Universal Credit or anything means tested. I have a decent income and we are mortgage free, so things could be much worse, but of course, you live to your means and switching to one income will take some adjustment, probably, long term, a house move. We can manage if he can get about £300 pm or I increase very young adult DCs' keep

New style ESA (claimed when SSP ends) would pay around £300 a month on the assessment rate. It would be paid for 12 months unless unless he is assessed and put in the support group in which case it can continue indefinitely.

Has he claimed PIP OP? That's not means tested either.

He hasn't claimed anything yet, as he's still being paid by work. Should he?

Ssp is available regardless of income/savings. However it is only £95 pw. Employer schemes usually this but will be limited according to contract , so you may get Occupational sick pay for x time then ssp for y. Employee Benefits should still continue (ie, car allowance).

@Doffodils

He hasn't claimed anything yet, as he's still being paid by work. Should he?

Has he had difficulties with daily living activities and/ or mobility for 3 months and expect them to last at least another nine months ? PIP will look at what difficulties he has - can he cook a simple meal, wash and dress himself, communicate, manage to budget, manage his won medications, mix with others. How far can he walk, can he do so without pain etc. These are the sorts of things PIP will look at.

I was going to query whether he would be eligible for PIP too. They're taking about 3-4 months to assess claims at the moment (no face to face assessments right now due to covid - over the phone), but if awarded they backdate the payment from date you first called DWP to apply.

PIP is not means tested.

As in, PIP is not connected to being fit for work, it's for the additional costs of being disabled.

Don't forget that SSP is taxable as well. So it won't be the full £95.85 he would get.

You can apply for PIP even if working full time (dependent on how condition affects your DH). It's not means tested and dependent on condition and impact you can get £150 per week (although may be a lot less). Worth exploring. Website is here: www.gov.uk/pip

Have you checked as well any insurances you have? If he’s too ill to work he could qualify under critical illness or income protection.

My other half has been off for for over a year since a car accident. He was paid SSP from his employer initially, once the 28 weeks was up he claimed new style ESA whilst still being employed (no pay from employer). Employer should still pay holiday during this time. His company made him redundant the end of last year and he following that he continues to receive new style ESA (174 every two weeks) regardless of my earnings