ill health retirement

[padrick]

just thought I'd share my experience of getting ill health retirement ,May help someone through the process . I have been ill for around five years ,the last two years mostly spent on sick or isolating due to covid I'm classed as extremely clinic vulnerable.I am coming up to my 65th birthday and up till 60 was fit and healthy ( you never know what's round the corner ) .any way i got ihr offered a few years but thought i could plod on . any way cut to this year my body says no more. After being on sick a number of months I got a call asking if id thought about ihr .I decided to go ahead . step one telephone call from optima health advisor .outcome unable to work in any capacity,step two (three weeks later ) another call from optima health this time with a physician outcome unable to work in any capacity,step three ( three weeks later) call from optima health with another physician,outcome unable to work in any capacity. recommended ihr with income support
1 week later meeting with manager offered 34 weeks plus 12 weeks pilon plus holiday pay around £21,500
1 weeks later in my bank ( minus the holiday pay due to cock up) should be getting it this week.
all in all its taken around 3 months but for me it wasn't a problem as I was still on full pay (did have few times when I thought maybe I wont be getting offered anything )
I don't know if having 3 interviews is common practice but I had consultants report recommending ihr and all my diagnosis and medication to hand
just to say I've done 22 years working in collections and key locker.
in my experience the management always dealt with me fairly considering I must have made things difficult ,due to on going problems. ....good luck to any one going through this ...merry Christmas

[iHateD2Ds]

Thanks for posting Patrick,
No doubt it will help people in similar circumstances to yours.Is the payment tax free?
All the best

[padrick]

Payed tax on the pilon and holiday pay , the lump sum £16000 ish is tax free .

[TopperGas]

Out of interest what are you going to do now until you can draw your state pension, can you take your RM pension early, if so, is that then reduced as you've taken it early?

[RobertT]

Out of interest what are you going to do now until you can draw your state pension, can you take your RM pension early, if so, is that then reduced as you've taken it early?

He says he's coming up to his 65th birthday, which suggests he's probably taken his NRA60 at least, as there's absolutely no benefit in deferring it.
Plus he'll have £21k to play with until his state pension kicks in at 66.

[padrick]

That’s spot on plus have other pensions

[comeracing]

Best of luck,relax and enjoy some important family time etc.

[TopperGas]

Out of interest what are you going to do now until you can draw your state pension, can you take your RM pension early, if so, is that then reduced as you've taken it early?

He says he's coming up to his 65th birthday, which suggests he's probably taken his NRA60 at least, as there's absolutely no benefit in deferring it.
Plus he'll have £21k to play with until his state pension kicks in at 66.

True, I misread the OP's been ill since 60 as them retiring at that age!! I nice early retirement present then assuming he's well enough to enjoy his retirement.