Work

Brooky63

I have just received my results from the doctor and been informed I have osteoarthritis in my neck both knees hands lower back and both feet.I have been struggling for few years but it’s getting hard to do my job with my condition as I work as a heavy machine drive and plant machinery. I have been a very fit person walking and biking to work 5miles a day.I have been off work again for 5weeks as my episodes were bad this time,I also have vibration white finger and copd as I was a miner for 14 years. Iam writing this because i think my job is getting to hard to do and if I can get any support if I finish work or get finished can you help as I have worked all my life,I am 59 next please help don’t no wot to do

Shell_H

Hi @Brooky63 - welcome to the online community!

I see you have Osteoarthritis in your neck, knees, hands, lower back and feet. On top of that you have vibration white finger and COPD. You're worried as it's getting harder to be able to do your work, which is quite physical as a heavy machine driver and you work plant machinery. You need to know if there is support available if work becomes too hard, and you're really worried about this possibility.

Not working is hard. I would like to reassure you there is support you can get. Firstly there is either Universal Credit or Employment Support Allowance (ESA) which you can apply for. Universal Credit and ESA would both be available to you if you were not working. You can only have one - ESA is for if you are too ill to work at all, and Universal Credit is for if you can do some work. It does need to be stated that if you have a partner you live with their income may prevent you from getting anything from this.

There is also Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which you can apply for if you have some form of illness which impacts you in your day-to-day life. This does not mind if you are working or not. It has 2 aspects - daily care and mobility. My best advice to to answer it honestly but as if you were having your worst day.

We have some useful information which may well help you here - I'd suggest looking at the section titled "Physically demanding jobs" specifically which may well help you know what to talk to your employer about:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/work/

We also have more detailed information on the financial help available here:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/financial-support/

I'm sure someone else in the community will be on to help and suggest something I've forgotten about. We have a number of people here who are on some benefit or another, so if you do want help with something do say! We're always happy to help.

Lovely to meet you,

Shell

helpline_team

Hi Brooky63,

Thank you for posting on our helpline forum, I am sorry to hear how your conditions is affecting you and that it has caused you to take time off work, but please try not to worry as long as work are aware of this, they are there to support you either whilst you are at work or off sick. It may be worth asking your doctor for a letter to take to work to explain how your condition affect your day-to-day life.

If a person has arthritis, they may not be able to work so there is support available, there are several benefits available, this could be Personal independence payment (PIP) which helps to cover the cost if a person needs help with taking part in everyday life. You can claim if you are working, it is not means-tested so does not affect your earning or benefits you receive or saving you may have. You need to be 16-64 in the UK for two or more years. For more information the best people to speak to would be the Citizen Advise who are the benefit experts. You could also have a look at the benefit calculator at Turn2us which I have attached below.

You mention also how much pain that you are in at the moment, if you feel that your currant medication isn’t working for you and because you have Osteoarthritis (OA) it may be worth asking your doctor for a complementary treatment called Capsaicin cream, I have also attached a link for more information about this cream below.

Thank you Shell for attaching the links to help Brooky63.

Best wishes

Chris

Helpline advisor

Attaching the link for Chris - Yvonne x

https://benefits-calculator-2.turn2us.org.uk/

Brooky63

Thank you for all your support it is truly appreciated thank you Craig