Are we screwed?

[Gwdihooooo]

My husband quit his job! . He drove home and ended up in a car accident on the motorway. None of it was his fault!

But now he’s incapacitated for at least 4 months!

He had new work lined up in Jan with a different company.

I don’t know where our income is going to come from!

ESA if he's worked in the last few years?

Contributions based ESA if he has worked and paid NI contributions over the past 2-3 years, Universal credit if you don't have savings over 16k, but this is means tested so will depend on your earnings and whether you have kids, rent to pay etc. Eventually he should get some compensation if the accident was not his fault.

Thank you. I’ve not heard of ESA

Whoever's fault the car accident was should be liable via their insurance for loss of earnings. Either way, speak to new employer and see if job start date can be deferred - it might suit them financially, rather than re-recruit. Check the small print of all loans, mortgages etc and see if there is any help in the T&C to eg take a mortgage holiday etc. Do you have any life assurances/ health plans? Do they pay out for incapacity to work due to accident?
Hope you DH is ok!

If he's incapacitated as a result of the accident he needs to be pursuing this through the insurance route.

It's also worth speaking to the solicitors Irwin Mitchell - they're not one of the ambulance-chaser firms, they acted in the Herald of Free Enterprise, Marchioness, etc. cases.

Do you have income protection insurance as part of your mortgage?

Thanks for all your help.

We have life insurance but not sure if i jury is on there. I’ll have a look.

I’ll check t&cs on mortgage too… although we had to take the full holiday during covid due to redundancy!

He’s gone back to paye so no obligation from the new employer unfortunately

We will be pursuing through insurance. It happened in a hire car so I’m pretty sure the company will want a full investigation

The hire car company will have no interest beyond the other person’s insurance paying for their loss (if it was indeed their fault). He will need himself to claim for the loss of earnings, if the injury has caused that.

Sorry you’re in this position

make a claim for ESA pronto

also make a claim for council tax reduction due to low income

brst wishes for recovery

Yeah, i guess that manes sense. Why would they want to help?!

Thank you. I’m just waiting for a sick note from the drs then I’ll arrange esa.

Thanks for info about the council tax

My dh has spoken to his previous employer and they have agreed to retract his resignation so he can claim statuary sick pay. Which is great!

I’ve had a proper look at esa and it looks like dh won’t be eligible whilst receiving sick pay.