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Thank you so much for sharing your experience Tvman, you have been through so much. 

It sounds like you were really thorough and organised. Thank you for the sound advice. I definitely will be following up on your suggestions. I've never been very on top of my finances as I've always lived with such small financial margins. But you're right, sound advice from the people that have the knowledge is what I need right now.

Thank you again

Fish x

A word of warning about ESA I was awarded ESA contribution based and put in the support group which was very good. I even did it over the phone but no one mentioned that when you draw an occupational pension this greatly reduces the amount of ESA. Because of this I accepted ill health retirement before I went to half pay and lost out financially as I would have got half pay and ESA for 6 months which was more than my pension. It is a strange system as my pension was less than half pay but I lost money had I have known I would have done the Maths and kept my job for the 6 months. 

Hope you get everything sorted 

Hi 

I'm getting the same ESA as you, with the support group extra too. The ESA people contacted me about my personal pension but they couldn't do anything because I take money in chunks ie I phone up my pension company and ask for money. If I took a regular monthly income, then it would have been different, I would have had my ESA cut.

How are you doing these days Maz?

Take care

Tvman 

Does age make a difference to early retirement? I’m 49, I have two pensions running, one that I have t contributed to for years, since I left the bank I worked at, but it’s continued to grow, and one that I contribute to privately as I am self employed. The whole benefits thing I’ve found to be a complete nightmare. I’ve only just claimed PIP 3 years after getting my incurable diagnosis and had my f2f in November so still no idea if I will get it. Haven’t claimed ESA yet but I do need to as neither can I realistically mange my job full time. 
it feels like a minefield!

Hi in short yes - this made things tricky for me, definitely take advice (once you are 55 things change significantly). Plus I would guess your bank pension may be final salary, makes things tricky too, the other one will be simpler.  You really need to know your pension stuff if accessing them.

you are so right, this is all a minefield, this thread has been great for showing how tricky things are and how important to take advice, so good luck! Love heather xxx

Hi TV man 

I have managed to stay clear of hospital for a while and got my meds reinstated even though my oncologist thought I had no chance. The reply we got was basically as there was evidence they had been working why was I ever taken off them. 

After a 6 cycle delay I am now on my second cycle and it has been like starting all over again. I am having to keep myself away from infections which is difficult at this time of year but I am managing OK but it gets a bit lonely. 

The last scan showed significant growth after the 6 month break in meds so I am hoping the next one in March will show a reduction. 

My husband and I are decorating at present and we are both saying this is the last time. We love doing it but it is getting too much for us. Especially as I have started 3 rooms at once and want it all finished yesterday. 

The ESA thing is a nightmare I went from over £100 a week to £24 and my income was lower. I was told it was a shame I had paid into a pension scheme as I would have been better off not doing. Not what you want to here when you have had to make such great changes due to your health. 

But I know there are others worse off. 

Hope all is well with you and your family. 

Thank you Maz59 and tvman,

I will heed the word of warning with ESA. My Macmillan/CAB has sent the link for ESA ready for when I do make the move so I know little about them. I would have probably gone ahead without realising that the possible pension would affect the ESA. So are we talking about a means tested system?

Also what role do the support groups play? Are they helpful?

Thank you for your help

Fish

Hi Jo300 and Roobarb,

it's been really helpful sharing all this information. When I said I was clueless I can now understand why I've steered clear of it all my life. It all seems a bit unnecessarily confusing.

It's been brilliant talking to people who have made it out the other side though.

Cheers!

Fish

Heya Fishy, 

Yes to the means tested. If you can work while on ESA, but you can't work over 16 hours, or earn over a certain amount. Their own helpline can't agree if that's week by week, or if an average is taken over the year however. 

Any income at all is taken into account too, and your benefits reduced accordingly. But for some weird reason, it's not pound for pound. 

Then if you have savings over £5,000, then you get nothing until you've used up your savings to below the threshold. Then they'll start paying benefits.

Regarding the support group, it's a benefits classification. So there's the basic level of ESA, but then there are a couple of higher levels for people with extra needs. So if you're getting PIP, you're put into the support group and so are entitled to a higher level of ESA. So not an actual support group like this or weight watchers. 

Lass

Xx

There are 2 types of ESA one is means tested the other is called contribution based and is determined by your national insurance payments. I was claiming the contribution based ESA while still working once my sick pay went to half pay. I was then offered I'll health retirement just a few weeks later. I was 58 so could draw my pension and so I took my pension. I had known drawing it would have had such a big effect on my benefit I could have held out on half pay for another 5 months +. But that is how it goes. A colleague of mine who was only 52 did the same but she was not able to draw her pension and gets the full amount of ESA and took her full sick leave entitlement. She is now retired but gets means tested ESA at the higher rate. 

Re the support group all this means is that you are assessed as qualifying for the higher rate. There is no actual support other than financial and no group. 

Good luck with it all it is a mine field. 

The PIP is also rather strange especially the mobility component it is so difficult to work out what is meant by the questions. I used to work with children with Special needs and I always advised parents to fill in the forms as if it was the worst days and I have done that with mine. 

Another one I find annoying is that my husband has had to cut his hours to look after me but because he still earns over a certain amount each week we can not claim carers allowance. 

Over the last 2 years we just seem to have to pay more out while living on less. I do appreciate that there are others much worse off. Friends often don't realise how difficult things can get financially when you have cancer. You still have all the outgoings at higher rates but much less income.