[combat1]

Hi Guys, I should know this but can self employed people claim sickness benefit if off for a, say month or more?
I'm ok but its something I should consider in case sickness strikes.
Thanks

[Griffus]

If PAYE then you can get SSP, but it's not much.

I would imagine that you can pay whatever you want to yourself as 'company sickpay' but if you're off sick you're not earning so unless your business is cash rich then I can't see that makes any sense.

Insurances are available, but most tend to stipulate a number of waiting days before you can claim. Sounds like this is your best bet.

[William McCafferty]

if you are self employed then no, if you are a Ltd company then yes

[bumper]

and you have to fill in big book and it takes 8 weeks before you see any monies,if you or girlfriend or boyfriend working they take that into acount

[Elfyn]

Heard today that a friend of mine, whilst visiting his sister in France has had a bad fall. He was helping his brother in law to trim  some branches on a tree close to their house and fell about 20 feet. The reports I'm getting is that he's broken his back and will be off work for 6 months.
Now, Simon, is a self employed, one man band fabricator/blacksmith in a small industrial unit. This must be a disaster for him.

[Dean Taberner]

6 yrs ago when I was a sole trader I fell from my ladder snapping my ankles and had to have a year off work.

I got a sick note from the hospital/drs and sent it into the benefits agency and they paid me ssp, I think it was at a lower rate than standard ssp if I remember rightly.

Luckily I had insurance too which paid my mortgage for me so we survived.

I came back and decided that I needed an employee to work with me because of the dangers of working alone and now I've got 5 of the buggers. If I hadn't fallen from my ladder I think I'd still be working on my own on domestics so every cloud has a silver lining as they say.

Dean.

[andy1975]

i broke my ankle on august the 17th and applied for benefits,havnt received anything yet but am expecting £80 a week backdated of course for 8 weeks.

[andrew hamshare]

I have to have a turbt op soon. Glad I ain't told the 'other job' to stick it yet. Gonna canvass while I'm off and I'll be officially off for about 4 weeks, minimum. They owe me big time and I will shamelessly be claiming for every penny I can get.

All legit. Just saying that I have learnt the hard way that the system is falling apart.