employment and support allowance

[Guest]

has anyone had any experience of this ?

im still employed at the moment but not sure for how long, so would'nt apply yet.

Never heard of this untill yesterday, it used to be incapacity benefit apparently.

maybe there should be a MND welcome pack with info like this in

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_171894

[angnmick]

Mick gets this along with his DLA it it paid fortnightly approx £199. Had to send regular sick notes at first then our doctor sent one for 6 months which was sent back stating no further sick notes required, initially applied for on the phone, and they also checked to see if we could get working tax credits, as I am still working but we are just above the criteria for that. They were very efficient and it took less than a week to sort out.

[Chris]

I will be looking into this myself soon, im currently on sick and cant see me carrying on doing the job i do.

[jadedjohn]

Dont make me angry talking about this,ive been arguing with jobcenter plus since march and still dont get a penny, first i got an indefinate sick note when i was retired off on it here ill grounds, sent that off with details of my pension, then they say my pension is too much so im not entitled to it. I said i wanted my national.insurance contributions paid, another request for pension amount and around in circles you go again. I have given up now, whats the point having mnd at 43 - i wont be drawing my old pension!

Sorry to being so somber, you might have better luck

john

[Chris]

Sorry to hear that John. I have only got a very small amount in a pension that i couldnt get cos my doc wouldnt sign a letter saying i will die in a year!

[angnmick]

Mick isn't getting his pension either so that is probably why do you think? Didn't know you could claim pension before its due ??? Ang

[Chris]

You can claim company pensions due to serious illness but policys vary, i needed to be dead in july this yr to get mine

[Z3 Driver]

Sorry to hear that John also. makes you think though,
i have a 17 year pension pot from my steelwork days
a 5 year pot from my previous beverage can manufacturer days and
2 months in this company pot,
why draw on them when i could leave them for my sons inheritance and then claim ESA.
Or does it not work like that.

These things are never straight forward, were meant to be enjoying what we have and not trying to grasp the in's and out's of the benefit / pension system.

[luce]

Hi all
In trying to access occupational pensions you could get some information from MNDA regarding the prognosis of MND as terminal. Chris, have you asked your neurologist (not GP) to write you a letter? Occupational pensions sometimes give a range of options a) full commution of the pension with a tax free lump sum b) a tax free lump sum and an anual pension if part of the pension supplement if given up c) an in between stage (betwen a and b) with an anual pension and a tax free reduced lump sum. Perhaps if you do not have neurologist who will write a letter to say that life expectancy could be less than a year then you may be able to opt for option option b or c above as it would bring in an anual pension. I think with either of those options it can still be available to the estate (whereas if the whole pension is commuted it is not passed on as a pension to the next of kin in the estate). Please note, these are just our own experiences- not pension advice and any one wanting to try to commute all or part of their occupational pension would be advised to seek authorative advice. Luckily we had access to a family friend who is a financial advisor.

re ESA- we looked at the descriptors when determining limited capability for work; looking at all the descriptors and how they are scored. Luckily my mum won the appeal (however they have insisted on sending 2 letters a year asking her to come in). A firm discussion with a manager regarding the impact of her disability has "excused" mum from having to go in to the job centre. it certainly has not been easy to negotiate though. Good luck everyone.

Do you want to carry on working? Obviously some people will not want or be able to carry on working. However if you wish to there may be a way- job centre plus funding under access to work. I do not have MND but another disability and work 3 days and have an additional 8 hours a week funded for a personal assistant to support me at work as a reasonable adjustment because of my disability. I know i have seen a couple of clips of a woman with MND who has remained working as a teacher and has support to enable her to remain in employment. Obviously support may not be always appropriate in all jobs; and there will be people who decide to spend time doing other things. As you will know, with MND it is always about finding new ways to do things- and if you want to try to stay in work then explore other alternatives to what you used to do.
Luce

[Da Doo Ron Ron]

I've recently been denied ESA since my national insurance contribution history was insufficient. Advised to enquire about the possibility of retrospective payments to correct this I was then told that was not possible to do in order to then claim ESA - other benefits, yes, ESA, no? Good luck. Ron

[Z3 Driver]

interesting how they decide, they told me yesterday when i called that it depends on how much national insurance you have paid and how much income you have in that household.
therefore,

1. since 18 years old i have always worked = 23 years of NI payments

2. live alone with my son who's 14 so no other income unless i take pensions early ( not inc DLA ), or make my son get a paper round

If thats not enough to qualify then why have i paid NI for all these years.

They also said i may get help with interest payments on mortgage and council tax payment.

Can they insist i take my pensions early?
Do they means test you also?

Any help appreciated, better to be educated on these things before i apply.

Cheers Kevan

[Chris]

Its a bloody mine field mate, if your means tested on household income i'm screwed lol Polly gets a pretty good wage, i dont think they would care about her having to pay mortgage and all bills!

Ive worked 20 years and it means sod all, if only we could have forseen what was to come

[Z3 Driver]

if only we could have forseen what was to come

Now there's a subject to talk about over a few beers ( and a madras ) for sure.

[angnmick]

My income never came into it, it was just based on what NI Mick had paid over the years, they asked him if he was claiming a pension which he isn't so if he could maybe that would make a difference but hes not so he gets it,he has never had to go to the job centre or see any sort of panel ? This has a lot of inconsistancies ? Ang

[Chris]

Now there's a subject to talk about over a few beers ( and a madras ) for sure.

I like that idea

Ang, i will still persue it and hope for the best, i will be looking into getting my tiny pension in next few weeks too, straight into our extension fund if i get it