If you are no longer able to work due to illness, you may be able to access your pension benefits early – even prior to the age of 55. This is known as ill-health retirement and our team here at My Occ Health can assist you with an ill health retirement medical assessment.

Each pension scheme has its own definition of what ill-health means, but usually, you will be considered for ill-health pension benefits if you’re unable to carry out your normal job because you’re physically or mentally ill.

Ill Health Retirement Assessment

The assessment, carried out by occupational health specialists, needs to be thorough and robust as ill health retirement applications are frequently prone to appeals.

Many applications can be turned down by the pension trustees and this is often because the application has been made too early, for example before an operation or treatment that could change the situation, or without due consideration.

It is important to ensure that all reasonable workplace adjustments have been investigated, medical treatments have been fully explored and the possibility of other work for the employee has been looked into.

Recent occupational health assessment reports showing that all adjustments have been considered should be provided as evidence.

What steps to take:

If you require an ill health retirement assessment we will ask you to submit details of your case and also your specific pension scheme. Once we have the documents and information needed we can carry out the assessment online or in another way convenient to you. Enquire using our contact form below.

Alternatively, if a full ill health retirement assessment would be premature, a standard occupational health assessment may be useful to provide evidence in the future. Click here to refer an employee for an occupational health assessment: https://www.myocchealth.co.uk/online-consultations/#book.