Resigning on sick leave?

[msb39]

I work in a child based career after having a while out of the job, but I am currently on sick leave due to having a mental breakdown and I know I’m not going to feel better any time soon, even though I’ve had some people tell me I’ll be back to normal in a couple of days and that my mental health is basically just a phase!

I’m severely struggling with juggling being a mum to a child with on going behavioural issues and other underlying health issues and working in the childcare field. I’m not concentrating properly at work and am severely behind on all types of paper work because I’m so exhausted and tired. My mental health is putting a huge strain on this and for the safety of the children I think that I should resign.

BUT, I’m terrified to resign, especially whilst on sick leave as I know I couldn’t work my notice as I’m just not well enough!
I have already heard a couple colleagues slag me off in the past about my performance (yes it’s not been great, but it’s not been by choice, I’ve just genuinely been battling a lot!). My manager always compares his issues with mine and he never acknowledges when I’ve said that I’m struggling. Instead just telling me to “think positive” 🙄 if only it was that easy! He’s quite pushy and I just worry if I hand my notice in he’s going to try and talk me out of it or get annoyed and cross.
I am just terrified to hand it in, but mentally I’m in no fit way to be working with children and really my health and children come before anything else.

Are you getting SSP? You can get that for 28 weeks then move to ESA if your national insurance contributions are up to date. Resigning may affect your income/NI contributions.
Do you feel that you should resign? Or are you being made to feel that way?

I wouldn't resign, you need to let the company take you down the dismissal route so your eligible for benefits without waiting (this is what my union advised after I had an injury which meant I could no longer work). Its also easier to prove your not fit for work if you are dismissed to. Also look into uc/ esa /pip and your entitlement to these.
Keep all proof of illness, all correspondence from work, speak to your union if your in one, keep a copy of all your sicknotes (useful for benefits). Ask for any help you need to show your doing all you can to improve your situation and try not to worry what others think (harder said than done but definitely held my recovery back both physically and mentally).

Not currently on ssp, as only just signed off. I do feel like I need to resign, as I cannot cope when in work. I feel it would be really irresponsible of me to go back knowing my head wasn’t in the right place and feeling so low. The job is the reason I’ve got such high anxiety :/

Would I have to go back into work to get a dismissal, as if so it’s not something I think I can really do. My mental health is at an all time low and I’m not in a good place at all, so I know if I went back into work I would still be the same and still feel really suicidal and continue to have panic attacks if I did. Thus career path is quite a big part of why I’m in such a low place. I thought I could do it, but unfortunately I’m not cut out for juggling it all like I thought :(

@BearPear sorry I quoted the wrong person when replying to you.

@Millionaireshortbread0 sorry this one was suppose to have your reply quoted to it.

No you don't need to go back into work. You will have to have a few meetings for the process to be followed correctly however those meetings do not need to take place at your workplace if it's too much for you (I actually had one of my meetings at my home because I wasn't well enough to travel). You really shouldn't resign because you will loose out on benefits/ find it hard to prove your not fit for work. You just have to let the process play out (it took over a year for me to be dismissed but I never went back in after my gp said not to).