Advice on benefits if husband cannot return to work

[RaraRachael]

Looking for advice please.

OH is currently employed in a job where he's on his feet all day. He's been diagnosed with arthritis in his feet, is in extreme pain and is currently struggling to walk even a short distance. He's been off work for 4 weeks and is on Statutory Sick Pay. It's looking very likely that he won't be able to return to his current job.

He is desperate to find a new job where he can be seated but we live in a rural area where jobs aren't easy to come by and he's 64.

If he can't find another job, what benefits could he claim? We've looked online but it all seems very confusing. We're in Scotland in case that makes any difference.

How long had he worked there, do they have an hr department, could he be redeployed within the same company.

I’m in England so it may be different.

contributory esa - for people who have at least two years of NI contributions who have an illness or condition.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

universal credit may be an option depending on your savings and other stuff :

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

He's been there 2 years. I doubt he could be redeployed in another role as it's just the factory workers and 2 guys in the office. I've advised him to contact Occupational Health to see if there's any alternative but I don't think there would be.

ADP is not means tested and you apply for it through social security Scotland.

Potentially UC with LCWRA

I think arthritis is classed as a disability if it affects your mobility, he could ask hr and occupational health for reasonable adjustments, it's all online. He may be entitled to esa and pip, take a look at Scotland benefits calculator.

Is he in a union? Do they not have a sickness pay scheme.

What age does he get state pension?
Go to a benefits adviser

Get him to apply for ADP now, he can claim even if he's still employed, and it takes about 16 weeks maybe longer to get a decision, and it's backdated to when the claim goes in.

If he qualifies for it, no point on waiting.

Also, not a financial help but also apply for a blue badge if either of you drive.

Thanks for all the replies. He isn't in a union and doesn't get paid on sick days apart from SSP.

I've told him to apply for a blue badge which can also take up to 16 weeks.

With ADP you can also apply for a mobility vehicle and you can get free bus travel in Scotland. I had a welfare rights officer from the council help me with filling out the forms.

When my husband was close to 65 he wae made redundant, he had a very physical job and had was losing his sight in one eye and had arthritis and just couldn't do it anymore. He drew on his very small pension, but it got him through the last bit before he got state pension. He only had to bridge the gap to 66 and I appreciate it has just gone up to 67, but if you need to, that might be an option or part of the option.

At 64 can he not retire . What’s his pension like

Would any aids at work help? One of those rollators with a seat? Can he be seated as points during the day on a high stool? Or is he constantly on the move?

I think he will struggle to get ADP for this tbh have a look at the criteria and start gathering evidence to support each one.

He can't really do his job other than standing all day.
He will have to wait until 67 for state pension. He won't be able to retire now. He has worked in quite a few jobs over the years so only has various small pension pots.

Can he look at early retirement on health grounds

He can't get state pension for another 3 years so is looking for a more suitable job until then but we don't live in an area with many prospects.

Do you have a decent income, how much will you need to bring in to cover the gap of DHs salary? Could you take on more hours at yours?

I'm sorry op you aren't getting much helpful advice about benefits
Is there an arthritis charity you can contact?
The charity for my rare condition is really good at providing specific advice on benefits

New style ESA is likely the best bet if you are working. The contributory ESA wouldn’t take your income into account as UC would.

If your joint income then qualifies you for ESA it can be paid alongside.

If he’s placed in the work activity group he can claim this for one year. If he’s placed in the support group then there is no time limit.

@OverthebowI'm retired so my pension just about covers monthly expenses

Thanks @Ithinkhesamerdog I hadn't thought of doing that

New style ESA, at the end of his stat sick pay, sounds like the best bet.

There are two different types - work related group and support group - after the assessment phase.

Please make sure you ask about this benefit if you see a charity for help. Lots forget about the fact that the contribution version of ESA does still exist, albeit in a new format.

Some people get new style ESA and UC. But it's the same amount of money, just split into two different benefits.
If he's worked for many years he can get ESA.
Unfortunately it's not that much though.

They do, but lots of charities haven’t learned about new style ESA and advise people just to claim UC as if there is no more contributions based benefits at all or that they are completely the same thing.

This can have a negative outcome for people who have savings or whose partner works as they’d be entitled to ESA regardless of those things, but may not be eligible for UC.

Yeah new esa isn't means tested. So it's better than UC in many ways. But I don't think you've got a choice in the matter.

I get both but I think that's because I'm disabled? I used to just be on old ESA but I worked for 20 years before I had to medically retire. So they switched me to the other two.