I am in a similar situation as you.

However I have not decided what to do yet. Being off work with stress is awful, even though you are away from what is causing you to be stressed you feel it hanging over you like a lead weight.

My Doctor has signed me off and advised the only way to stop this stress is to find a new job.

I have contacted my local job centre and they have advised me that if the situation at work is such that you can no longer return there are options. If you leave you can apply for job seekers allowance and put in a claim, at an meeting you discuss why you left work. I am being bullied and would state that it was constructive dismissal. They would then send off your claim to be assessed, I have a lot of evidence in support of my case if I decide to go down that route. So please look for anything to support yourself in this instance! Until a decision is made you could start receiving benefit, how if they believe your reasons for leaving are unfounded then they can stop benefits for up to six months.

My best advice is to try and get evidence to support your reasons for leaving the current job, if there is anyone you trust ask for statements in support of your grievance, look for emails. You may not be with a Union but consider join one, they may not help you with representation as your issue is preexisting but they are helpful even just for advice.

I hope this helps and know you are not alone. Grievances are stressful but it may be worth you pursuing this for your own closure and peace of mind. I am trying to organise an appeal whilst I am off sick with stress for a disciplinary decision I believe to be wrongful, this is not the reason I am off work but it has definitely not helped. I will more than likely continue with a grievance as I do not want anyone else to go through what I have.

Chin up

If your doctor advises you to leave your job because of how it is affecting your health, then you need to get them to put it in writing for you, so that you can present this to the Jobcentre when you make a claim for JSA - assuming that you will be available for work & actively seeking work.

Basically, if someone is sacked from a job, it's up the former employer to prove they had a good enough reason for sacking them, but if someone leaves a job voluntarily, it's up to the individual to prove they had a good enough reason for leaving their job. Medical evidence would help support you in this. Assuming the doctor does this & your claim for JSA is allowed, you would get £51.85 per week (paid fortnightly in arrears) as you are under 25.

If you are NOT fit for work at all after leaving your job, you should claim Employment Support Allowance (ESA) instead; you will need to provide sick notes from your doctor.

If you are unfit for any work you will have to apply for incapacity benefit but if it is only certain jobs you cant do then yes , if your doctors signed you off i would think you will qualify for jsa, if you just quit because you don't like the job then no i don't think they will give it to you but that does not apply for health reasons

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