medically retired

[Connemmara]

My friend has been recently medically retired from as a care assistant in a care home due to an operation on her head for an aneurysm where she worked for 30 years - I worked in the Civil Service for 37 years but medically retired myself about 6 years so dont know all the changes that have happened.

However my friend is receiving ESA and I am suspecting being on this benefit still means that she is "fit for employment" in other jobs.

This woman is not well and definitely could not even do the menial of tasks due to a number of other things that have happened to her since ie a car accident.

She is worried that the Bureau will call her in every two weeks for job interviews etc etc. Anybody know the difference between Income Support and ESA (Employment Support Allowance) or what she does do now. Does not have a sympathetic doctor as he keeps saying to her that her head - your aneurysm has improved. Earlier on before the operation - she suffered mini strokes but since she would be of low intelligence did not detect them well before the operation. I think it is terrible when all of us know people who never worked one day in their lives. I do know anyway - loads of them.

Thanks for any answers that may help.

[hc4361]

You haven't actually asked a question.

[Connemmara]

sorry you are right - no I wanted to know does receiving ESA mean you are called in or are fit for work.

[hc4361]

ESA replaced Incapacity Benefit and does not necessarily mean a person is fit for work. Lots of information here.
http://campaigns.dwp.gov.uk/esa/faq-esa.asp