Fibromyalgia and Working - Social Welfare

LegacyUser

Hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this query for me.

I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia following a couple of years of pain, aches and insomnia. I am currently on Illness Benefit and was on Jobseekers Benefit before that as I was let go from my job last year.

I am extremely concerned regarding looking for work and my ability to deal with it. I am afraid to give up my Illness Benefit incase I go back to work and suffer the pain etc. that I suffered previously, I am easily stressed which I know does not help me.

Someone told me that the Social Welfare sometimes allow people to work 19hrs a week and continue to get their benefit, does anyone know where I could get further information on this. My own Doctor will not cert me back as fit for work until I am seen in the Pain Mngt Clinic and she is happy that I can deal with the working environment and is suggesting that when I do return to work that it be part-time or he believes I will be back in the same painful situation I was in until I was let go from my job following 2 four month sick spells where I couldn't do normal daily activities.

However the thoughts of not going back to work does not appeal to me either as I have a mortgage to pay etc. Does anyone have any advice or knowledge on the Illness Benefit and part time work please? Thanks in advance

LegacyUser

NeedaLife wrote: »

Hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this query for me.

I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia following a couple of years of pain, aches and insomnia. I am currently on Illness Benefit and was on Jobseekers Benefit before that as I was let go from my job last year.

I am extremely concerned regarding looking for work and my ability to deal with it. I am afraid to give up my Illness Benefit incase I go back to work and suffer the pain etc. that I suffered previously, I am easily stressed which I know does not help me.

Someone told me that the Social Welfare sometimes allow people to work 19hrs a week and continue to get their benefit, does anyone know where I could get further information on this. My own Doctor will not cert me back as fit for work until I am seen in the Pain Mngt Clinic and she is happy that I can deal with the working environment and is suggesting that when I do return to work that it be part-time or he believes I will be back in the same painful situation I was in until I was let go from my job following 2 four month sick spells where I couldn't do normal daily activities.

However the thoughts of not going back to work does not appeal to me either as I have a mortgage to pay etc. Does anyone have any advice or knowledge on the Illness Benefit and part time work please? Thanks in advance

did it not occur to you to look at welfare page at

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Pages/DisabilityIllness.aspx

see also

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/employment/employment-and-disability/supported_employment_for_people_with_disabilities

call citizen info 1890 777121

LegacyUser

Eh no need for the sarcasm there.

OP I'm in the same position as you. I know the social welfare offices are run off their feet at the moment but if you contact the community welfare officer in your local office and meet up with them they can explain everything to you. You never know you might actually be entitled to more than just Illness Benefit, unless you know what you're looking for specifically there's not much point getting bogged down in the websites. You will find out about the working hours/types of work allowed while in receipt of Illness Benefit if you check online but to find out other possible benefits your best bet is the CWO.

Best of luck. I know exactly what you're going through, and you're right stress does make it worse.

star-pants

I too am in a similar situation, I'm out of work anyway but I also have Fibromyalgia - which has flared up lately. And it does hinder certain types of work indeed.
I don't know the information either - but as the above poster said - contact your local welfare office and hopefully they can give all the options or at least where you can find out what you're entitled to.

LegacyUser

Hi All, thank you for taking the time to reply, had thrawled through all the websites but still could not make any sense of it as some of the information in one contradicts the other.

I hadn't though of the Community Welfare Officer but will look into once the current flare up has cleared up and I'm in a position to act should the reply be a positive one.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply and wishing you all good health!

LegacyUser

working while claiming,generaly restricted to long term illness while on pensions ect your local fas office is the place to start 19 hours a week is a CE scheme and you can do one of yhese with your doctors consent and keep your social welfare payment and get the same again from the scheme.