can i claim any allowances

[textmum]

I want to give up work as I am unhappy in my current position, and really feel I can not continue. I can not afford to give up and have not seen any other jobs I could apply for. . I currently work between 25 - 30 hrs a week Is there anyway I could claim any benefits. My husband is self employed and his business is really affected by the current climate, so he does not have much work either.

[sara3]

firstly, I can't believe you're considering giving up your job to go onto benefits.. madness. if you think most of us are loving our jobs/careers, you're mistaken.

if you do give up your job (or even if you don't), you may be able to claim Working Families Tax Credits as your husband is working. I believe there is an online calculator on their website.

[LoftyLottie]

If the job is causing you undue stress, and is affecting your health then leave. If you are just unhappy and feel the situation could be changed then tell your employer and see if things can be worked out. However, your health is the most important thing. If you have the correct number of NI contributions in the two year qualifying period, then you will be entitled at least to job seekers allowance.

You need to make it clear in writing to your employer that you are leaving because the job is affecting your health.

Any benefits you may be entitled to receive are up to your personal circumstances.

If you pop into your local job centre and ask if you can talk to a member of their staff, they are generally very helpful.

[Ethel]

If you are set on leaving your job NEVER mention stress - it will be on every reference that employer provides and will ring very loud alarm bells to a future employer..

It is very difficult to get benefits if you just choose to stop work.

[TCL-MUMPING]

If you leave a job voluntarily and go on to claim Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA,) the JSA could be suspended for up to twenty-six weeks.

[textmum]

I am trying to find a way round this so that we still have a small income coming in, I don't really want to go on benefits, but just trying to find a way forward. The job is affecting memore and more, there are days I can not think straight and more is being added to my work load. We are all in the same position where I work, I just feel I am getting to breaking point. I would rather go than be pushed! If I can hang on in I will, but just want to know if there are any options. We may need to move areas within a year, so didn't want to get another job locally as that didn't feel fair to a future employer. Thanks for answers and support so far.

[tigwig]

Don't mean to sound rude but you really should consider yourself lucky to have a job.
I don't see why you would be entitled to benefits if you voluntarily left either.
Find ways of working through your problems at work whilst looking for something else.

[textmum]

Tigwig and Sara, I appreciate what you are saying and don't consider you rude at all. Currently I am in a difficult position otherwise I wouldnt even conisder it. If I can stick it out I will, but it really is getting very hard. I just wanted to understand what help etc was available. I have 9 years still to go to retirement.

[LoftyLottie]

Having worked for the Employment Service, I disagree with Mumping and Ethel on this occasion. The Employment Service has moved forward and they usually deal sympathetically with claims from people that have left jobs due to stress. I say that as an ex emloyee of the service and a person who has left a job due to stress.

I would never stay in a job that was making me ill. I stayed in one for too long until I literally left one day and never went back. It took me a long time to recover. I realise now how totally stupid I was to have stayed and how badly it affected my health.

I never had a problem with getting another job and I was about your age too.

[LoftyLottie]

I will be castigated for suggesting this, but could you see your GP and get signed off for stress. It could give you a chance to sort yourself to unwind and clear your mind so that you can perhaps see a way forward with this job, or decide that it is not worth staying.

Some people can stay in stressful jobs, let it all go over their head and not let it affect them. Some can't - and very often its those that are conscientious about their jobs that have the problems.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

[smudge]

If I were you textmum, I would explain exactly how you feel to your line manager, or even your GP & let him/her decide what is best for you.

After chatting to him/her, you may feel much better & able to carry on with your duties until you move.

Good luck.

[TCL-MUMPING]

LoftyLottie I will not go into details on here but trust me I do know what I am talking about when it comes to this in particular. As you have worked in ES you may know what I'm on about. When I gave my answer there was no hint of a medical problem. You will be aware that if just cause is not shown, a sanction of twenty-six weeks can be imposed but a claimant's health can be taken into account when making a decision

[LoftyLottie]

Hi Mumping, yes I am aware of that so I should have said I don't 'entirely' agree with you

If stress is given to an employer as a reason for leaving a job and the stress has caused absence covered by a doctors certificate, then it is unlikely that 26 weeks will apply. Employment Services will, of course, write to the employer to confirm the reasons given for leaving, which is why it may be a good idea to include it in the resignation letter. However, I didn't include the reason in my resignation letter and the Employment Service paid me Job Seekers Allowance on the strength of medical evidence.

Sorry, if I intimated that you were wrong, I just wanted to indicate that it wasn't necessarily the case that textmum would have to wait 26 weeks.

The best thing I ever did was leave that job. We had a load of really heavy financial commitments at the time and I stayed in the job for far too long - it really affected me badly. I should have left a lot earlier and I hate to think of others suffering in the same way.