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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Other benefit issues  →  Thread

Career break and benefits. 

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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Total Posts: 3138

Joined: 17 June 2010

Looks like I’ll be one of the first in with a dumb question as my brain is totally fogged. Person who ordinarily works PT. Been off sick with stress caring for partner who is terminal. SSP long since expired and about to drop to half pay. Both get PIP (both components @ enhanced rate) but no CA going on because of contractual sick pay until now.

Contemplating a career break but had been working on the assumption wouldn’t be able to claim benefits in that period as still consider themselves working FT. I don’t think this is correct. I think CA plus UC plus CTR. Likely to be complicated by payment of pensions to partner and a threat from partner’s employer to pay 3 months contractual sick pay at full pay instead of 6 months at half and then review. However, income and capital aside, in principle, any issue to prevent a claim for UC, CA and CTR?

Elliot Kent
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Shelter

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It’s a bit of a red herring. UC doesn’t care whether you’re employed or not (“universal” innit) - but there may obviously be means tested deductions based on the amount you are earning (rather than whether you are employed). CTR is just means tested too and CA just cares whether you are in remunerative work defined by reference to earnings. Assuming that work won’t continue to pay a salary whilst this happens, then it shouldn’t matter.

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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Total Posts: 3138

Joined: 17 June 2010

Thanks Elliot. Cleared my head and already advised client.