Being employed and getting injured will generally make you liable for sick pay. But what if you’re unemployed and injured – where do you go from there? For most of us this is a nightmare scenario. Sure, there are unemployed people out there who will reap the system after spraining an ankle. But for most of us this isn’t the case – we want to work and an injury can be massive setback, preventing travelling to interviews and doing any trial shifts. That said, all is not lost. If you need to make money, here are the ways you can do it.
Work from home
There are a surprising amount of jobs out there that that you can do from a laptop or phone from the comfort of your own home. The more well-paid jobs – writing jobs, web design, accountancy and sales – may require qualifications or experience. But there are other money-making methods out there that don’t such as answering surveys.
Interviews may not be needed, although can be conducted over the phone or Skype if necessary. It is important to tell your employer that you are injured, even if working from home. Many employers may respect your work ethic enough that it could serve as a bonus in the hiring process.
Sell items online
Although you may not be able to go out to the shops and flog items, you can still do it online. Being housebound may in fact be
the perfect opportunity, giving you the chance to assess your belongings and declutter what isn’t needed. You can pay for people to pick up items and also get packaging sent directly to your door, so that you don’t have to go out to the shops and get it. People have made livings buying and selling things online. You will need to declare tax if it becomes a regular income, but it can still be worthy venture if you’re going to be out of action for a while.
Make an insurance claim
Some people will sue for anything. Others will never make a claim for an injury, even if they are perfectly in their right to. Consider how you got your injury – could it have been prevented if health and safety regulations had been put into practice. Personal injury claims could be worth pursuing if somebody else was responsible for your injury. Don’t be too proud and let others get away with putting you out of work.
Look into benefits
If the extent of your injury if so severe and you cannot physically work (even from home), contact the Department for Work & Pensions and they may be able to give you some worker’s benefits. If you’re particularly sick or have just gone through a serious operation, this could be worth pursuing as a temporary relief. Just remember that this will have to be your sole income – no extra job from home on the side!
