Prescription charges help if on ssp from work for THR

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi all, hope you are recovering well. I am due to have my THR on the 15th September and my Scrooge of an employer has informed me that I will only get SSP (I am a director of a company). Ssp is currently £84.50 per week. Can anyone tell me if I will be entitled to any other help, ie. prescription charges, council tax etc.

Thanks in advance for any help, regards Mark

2

Hi Mark

I had my THR on 5th Feb. I'm 66 & only work 2 days a week. Although they gave me a sick note at the hospital ,  my employer told me I wasn't entitled to any sick pay. 

i went back to work at 6 weeks against the advice of the physio but couldn't afford to be off any longer!

Hope you may be more entitled to some help.x

3

I think you won't get any help check with job centre

4

I think he's wrong, I would go to citizens advice to check, I'm sure you should get more money, have you been in the position long.

Also ask citizens advice to see if you are entitled to get your meds free.

I would also ring gov help line and ask advice.

Lets know how you go on x holly

5

Thanks Holly, I have been with the company in total 14 years, the last 3 as a director (worked my way up from foreman). Since my hip went really bad about 2 1/2 years ago I haven't had one single day of sickness with regards to my hip. I suppose you find loyalty or lack of, in bad situations! Thanks for the advice I will do some research on the matter x

6

Hi Val, that is my concern, not being able to afford to recuperate fully x

7

Hi Mark

You should have all your entitled sick pay first ( mine was 5 days - big whoop!).  Then comes SSP.  After my SSP stopped being paid by my employer.... I'm not a Director  I applied to the government (check https://www.gov.uk) for ESA - Employment support allowance, it's a bit less a week than SSP.  Also there is PIP- Personal Independance payment which has replaced disability allowance. I also have had for a few years now a prescription pre-payment card (https://www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc). It is basically good savings if you need a lot of prescriptions.  I hope these ideas help, let me know if you want any more details. 

Short bit about me - I carried on working not knowing I had a slipped disc and OA and needed a THR. So when I eventually was signed off sick I went down with a bang.  That was Dec 2013! It took a while for things to be diagnosed, which is why I HAD to apply for govt help. I've paid taxes all my working life so I guess this is a time when we need help.

 

8

Hi Mark

My original reply is being moderated! I only put in govt. website address for Perscriptionn pre payment card and suggested you look on govt. website also to see if you can apply for ESA - Employment support allowance which I had for a year after my employers stopped paying SSP. I also mentioned PIP - Personal independence payment which has replaced disability benefit.

hope this helps

all the best

Juliet

9

Hi Mark, you can get a PrePayment certificate from the Chemists, I costs £10 a month and any meds that you need you then get free, you wont get anything from Ehgland, the sick pay situation here is very unfare, I have only got 4 weeks left to use then I am on Half pay, but I have used three weeks paid leave to cover the time I need off.

Please keep us informed of anything new as it develops.  Ian.