Esa and ill health retirement

Lulu69

Hi folks
Advice needed please -confused.
I'm 43,married, have severe RA and have just been offered ill health retirement from work after 10 years service. I am considering a lump sum and a pension of 69 per week. I will be applying for esa soon and, like most people, aiming to get into the support group. If successful, is it means tested, how much would I be entitled to and is my savings taken into account. My husband works full time.
Any info would be appreciated as I am so confused about all this.
Thanks
Les

lululu

Hi Les, Sorry I can't remember off hand how much it is but I do know that you will only get it for one year (it was two years untill the start of the goverment's changes), the first year is not means tested it is contribution based. After one year it is income based and as your husband works his wasges will mean that you will not get anything, however I suggest that you continue to apply because then your Nat. Ins. will be paid so will count towards your state pension when you are 67.

Forgot to say welcome to the world of ESA it is a total nightmare!

trepolpen

Hi Les

First 13 weeks 25 years or over £71.00
From 14 weeks Work Related Activity Group Up to £99.15
From 14 weeks Support Group Up to £105.05

few things , the Support group is not easy to get on & just because you got RA is not enough to be on the Support Group & not 100% sure how the Working Group but it last for 12 months only

one other thing you should consider is You won’t qualify for income-based ESA if you have savings over £16,000.

if you are going to go for ESA , get someone to help you fill the form in like citizens advice bureau or carers support like we used when I transfered from incapacity into ESA Support Group

MUM1

I know what you mean about applying for ESA being a nightmare. A couple of years ago I had a particularly bad flare up of my OA (well to me anyway as it had spread to my upper back and was having to roll over to get out of bed and walking stooped over) just as the contract I was in was coming to an end. I worked full time as a cleaner but as I apparantly hadn't paid enough contributions and had a partner all I was entitled to was my stamp being paid the flare up lasted a couple of months and I then found full time employment about a month after that cleaning again working 42 and a half hours a week but without paid breaks so was in my place of work for 45 hours a week then had 2 hours per day traveling if traffic was ok. About 3 months after starting this job there were staff cut backs so we then had to take up the slack a couple of months after my health started to suffer again due to the increased work load despite my line manager knowing I had OA I then was signed off sick due to stress and the OA as my line manager was begining to make things difficult, however I had being keeping notes of what had been going on and when I occupational health had spoken to me and my place of work I went in for a return to work meeting with a new line manager the other one had gone on maternity leave and was was going to return to work in a different area. When the new manager and assistant manager had seen my notes she said she hadn't realised what had been going on. I could have put in a complaint my new manager had said but I declined as I had alrady had enough hassle so It was agreed I would return to work on a part time basis with amended duties although we now have another new manager and as we are now 2 years down the line we find ourselves with a little bit more work being added here and there as time goes on.