Partial Capacity Benefit qualification

Ididit4thelulz

Hi,

I'm currently receiving Invalidity Pension (IP) and have been under the care of a mental health team since 2005 for type 2 bipolar disease. Prior to becoming incapable of work I was a successful IT Consultant with many years experience. My working week was between 50-70 hours and was in a high pressure working environment, which contributed significantly to the degradation of my mental health to the point where I was hospitalised for periods in 2005 and 2006.

As part of my rehabilitation I recently completed a college degree. During my time at college I experienced multiple episodes of significant mental impairment resulting in an inability to function because of various problems including confusion, hypomania, depression, memory loss, mood cycling, loss of ability to read and anxiety attacks. This meant battling through repeated exam and project deferrals and retakes to finally complete my degree.

I'm looking to return to work and have been advised by the Occ Therapist that it should be gradual, starting at less than 5 days per week increasing over time, possibly on some sort of scheme. However, in the IT sector that isn't a practical proposition as roles in my part of Ireland are like hens teeth and rarely, if ever, part time. I am therefore looking at roles that are essentially 40 hours per week, but knowing the risks associated will my illness I will seek assurances that it will be no more than that. The approach I employed in college of repeating or deferring workload isn't applicable to a job environment, so I'm having to think about reducing risk in other ways.

Going back to work full time will be a significant challenge in any case, but what adds to the pressure is a fear that should I simply incapable of handling the work and have to quit, I'll no longer be in receipt of IP and this on top of the pressure of struggling to cope with failure may cause a relapse.

My salary will likely be such that I should no longer need the support of IP or related benefits. Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) offers the prospect of a straight return to IP support should the job fall through. I've read on this site, that PCB isn't likely to be granted for full time work even when it specifies in the legislation that hours and earnings are not relevant. I shouldn't need the partial payment of PCB as my salary will likely be sufficient, however the assurance of automatic fall-back onto IP would significantly reduce my anxiety through providing a safety net of sorts.

Is PCB appropriate for my case?
Are there any alternatives?