Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi I am 53 and have always worked. Never had a career but always had enough money to enjoy ourselves. In 2020 I had a big truma and meltdown after loosing my dad and coping with lockdown. That destroyed me but I was on furlough at the time and in an easy job. Lost that job last year and struggling with the second job I had in that time. I am just utterley exhausted, barely make it through the day, could sit in the corner and cry most of the time have no energey left come the weekend. I am sure my doctor would sign me off but I would just get SSP.
I have never claimed any soft of benefit so have no clue what is available. I think even a year off would do me the world of good. I know some of you don't work, how do you do it and maintain any sort of life? Just bear in mind my wife earns good money but not enough to support us both.
thanks
Rob
Maybe you could try just having a break? Get signed off for a few weeks, get physically and mentally rested, try to figure things out. And then take it from there?
Thanks for all your replies, it looks like a real minefield. Trouble is from the outside I just look normal, certianlly physically. However inside I can barely get through a day. Just got home from work and I am mentally exhausted. We are going to be changing our lives in the start of 2025 by relocating and getting much more stress free jobs like just working in a supermarket etc. Its just weather I can make it until then. I feel a massive imposter much of the time and I still have a part of me who just tells me to pull myself together.
I lost my job in February after 12 months 'sick' aka burnt out. 'lost' mum (severe strokes, she's alive but no memory at all), lost home, worked in NHS thru COVID which merged organizations and input a complex IT system which I couldn't deal with the training for (data analyst) burnout, got diagnosed finally, lost job.
Pip I'm still arguing about mobility points. Sensory and anxiety mean I can't go anywhere alone and I have violent meltdowns but they don't believe me. They haven't spoken to me at all, just done by paperwork.
ESA doesn't seem to give you any more than universal credit- but it does take the pressure of the job centre off my back. I was assessed 3 weeks ago, still waiting for the result.
I'm getting £980 from pip, ESA and uc combined. So I'm gonna lose my home soon because I'm £200 short monthly.
Plus side, being broke is better for me than being broken daily by working
The best thing to do is talk to someone at CAB who would advise what you’re entitled to. I believe you have to be on SSP for a set amount of time before you can then move over to UC, but it changes all the time so the best thing to do it get proper up to date advice and look at all you options :)
It might be worth taking a look at the Benefits and Work website to get a better understanding of the options that may be available to you, and where you may stand financially.
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/
Universal Credit is barely sufficient to survive, if you live in a council house and eat in a food bank/ homeless shelter. Forget about having any quality of life on benefits, I was on ESA in 2017 and I had to live as a homeless.
Just replacing ESA.
Are the 3 that I know of, I think Universal Credit is replacing the other 2 though. You will probably need to visit your GP to get them to write you a note also.