Retired/working and SSP

[vengeancedemon]

A question for something which is coming up,

 

I am 66 working more or less full time and therefore I do not have NI deducted from wages, only PAYE

 

Question is I am due in probably late Summer to have a hospitalization and then 6-8 weeks before fit to return, Am I eligible for SSP ?

 

Working Tax credit, should they be informed when off sick ?

 

Should I claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit for a non working period

 

Thanks for your advice

[anmarj]

You will not get SSP as it relies on NI being paid.

[antone]

You will not get SSP as it relies on NI being paid.

 

SSP does not rely on NI being paid - the employer pays it, not the government. Entitlement is based, IIRC, on earning at least the Lower Earnings Limit for NI (currently £112 per week) but there's no requirement that NI has actually been paid. There is no longer any upper age limit and it doesn't overlap with the State Retirement Pension, so you can receive both if that's relevant.

 

OP should inform WTC when off sick, but I think it can be paid for 28 weeks (same time as SSP) when an employee is off sick. HB and CTR are means-tested and not based on receipt of any particular other benefit so yes, you can make a claim for them and they will be awarded if your household income and savings are low enough.

[Sidewinder]

SSP does not rely on NI being paid - the employer pays it, not the government. Entitlement is based, IIRC, on earning at least the Lower Earnings Limit for NI (currently £112 per week) but there's no requirement that NI has actually been paid. There is no longer any upper age limit and it doesn't overlap with the State Retirement Pension, so you can receive both if that's relevant.

 

OP should inform WTC when off sick, but I think it can be paid for 28 weeks (same time as SSP) when an employee is off sick. HB and CTR are means-tested and not based on receipt of any particular other benefit so yes, you can make a claim for them and they will be awarded if your household income and savings are low enough.

 

Correct. The rules changed in October 2006 and any employee who was previously ineligible for SSP solely due to age (ie under 18 or over 65) must now be paid SSP subject to the other qualifications being met - ie the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period of 3 days. To not allow SSp due to age alone would be discriminatory under the provisions of the Equality Act

[vengeancedemon]

Thank you for your advice, I thought it must be like that