Eligibility for housing benefit, etc

[acer]

Could someone please give me some advice on the following item regarding benefit entitlement;

 

A friend of mine has had to give up her job after a prolonged period of ill health,

the employer has given her 3x months pay in lieu of notice.

 

She had been off on paid sick leave for the last three months or so and her doctor had informed her employer

that it would be unlikely that she would be able to return to work in the foreseeable future.

 

The question is ;

at what point should she make any claim for benefits.....

how is this severance pay treated in any benefit claim and what other benefits she may be entitled to...

 

Her illness prevents her from making these inquiries herself and due to her rural location it is not practical either.

 

Up until this point she had been in continuous employment for over 40years.

 

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Acer .

[flumps1976]

She should make a claim for ESA and depending on her household circumstances (if she has a partner , any othewr income or savings) so it would definitely be a claim for the contribution based and possibly an application for income related ESA.

 

Her pay in lieu will be treated as capital and won't delay any claim.

 

She should also consider making a claim for housing costs and possibly a claim for DLA depending on her disability and if there is an element of care required in either personal or mobility.

[Nystagmite]

DLA isn't based on capital or household income.

[SWLABR9]

She should ring her local council housing benefit debt for forms for that and council tax benefit and the DWP for ESA forms, also DLA I think.

[Sparks_]

Is there not a 12 week waiting time before you can apply for DLA?

[Nystagmite]

You can apply before; but will only be paid once the 12 weeks has ended.

[abc123def]

What's the 12 week DLA waiting time for? I've not heard of that.

[Nystagmite]

To get DLA, your condition must have lasted for 3 months and it's expected to last for another 6 months.

[abc123def]

Oh right, sorry thought you meant something else. I think the person has been off sick for over 3 months but may not meet the DLA criteria.