United Kingdom: ‘Early ill-health retirement’ and ‘Employment Support Allowance’ awarded on the basis of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS)

Further detail re: Press Release 15th June 2022 ‘Early ill-health retirement’ and ‘Employment Support Allowance’ awarded on the basis of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS)
PHIRE, 16 August 2022

Sally Burns, a 59 year old social worker successfully won her appeal for early ill-health retirement and will now receive full pension due to disabling Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS).

Mrs Burns states, “I have worked in Health and Social Care for 35 years, supporting some of the most disabled and vulnerable members of our society and advocating to ensure their rights have been upheld. To have been on the receiving end of societal prejudice, discrimination, ignorance and misunderstanding, has been devastating. My career has been important to me and I'm disappointed to be having to retire early instead of working beyond retirement age as I'd planned. I am grateful to the doctors, other professionals and my ex-colleagues, who have been open-minded enough to take EHS seriously and who have had the courage to speak its message. It is thanks to them that I can move forward with greater security and hope.”  

Read the press release here:
https://phiremedical.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Press-Release-EHS-Social-Worker-granted-long-term-ill-health-pension-UK-Named-further-detail-included.pdf

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Excerpt

Additional award: Although it was also initially refused, Mrs. Burns has now also been awarded Employment Support Allowance (ESA) from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It can be very hard for persons with EHS to achieve the much needed financial support that they deserve as the traditional models used to assess common disabilities often do not apply to this environmentally triggered condition. Sally encourages others with EHS to pursue their legal right to support where they are eligible, “I scored 'zero points' but the tribunal recognised that putting me in a work situation was going to cause unacceptable risk to my health. I'd encourage anyone with EHS who feels they may be eligible for ESA to apply, and if necessary take it to the tribunal stage. Understanding regarding how debilitating EHS can be is finally being recognised”.

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