Applying for SSDI from over here in the UK?

Hello all,

I was recently diagnosed with disintegrating vertebrae in my neck which are kind of crushing into my spine. After almost 9 months of tests, multiple MRIs, etc... my doctor has issued me with a "sick note" that says I cannot work (I actually haven't been able to work for quite some time, can't sit or stand for very long and am taking a lot of painkillers and muscle relaxants all the time, so mentally I'm in a fog as well!).

We're still waiting on the next step, whether it be surgery or something else.

Bottom line: I cannot work. I recently applied for and received approval for Disability Benefits here in the UK, but after reading around I'm wondering if it would have been better to apply for SSDI (the US kind) instead. Has anyone else gone through this process?

Thanks for any advice.

I can't completely address your question, but I am very familiar with applying for SSDI inside the US (I would think you would be eligible to apply despite being in the UK..as long as you've worked in the US & earned enough credits...see the SSA website for that info).  However, just know that the vast majority of SSDI/SSI applications are denied on their first attempt.  SS is probably going to want to mail info back & forth b/w some US address for you (rather than to England).  It's all very time sensitive, so you'd need to be sure someone is looking out for your mail.  SS often wants to collect the supporting medical records themselves (in my experience), but it would probably be a hassle to get your British doctors to send the info so perhaps you can get your own copies & attach to the application (& hope that SSA will recognise why you're doing it that way).  If SS isn't satisfied with your supporting medical info, they may ask you to go to one of their disability determination doctors for an exam (in the US).  After all of that, you could very well be denied (just the nature of the beast) & then begin the appeals process.  It's a big hill to climb (again...just in my experience).  The main criteria that SS is looking at is..are you totally disabled/unable to work in any meaningful way & is the condition expected to last a year or more?  They may feel that while you can't perform the work you've done previously that you could do some other type of work.  It's based on their medical criteria of "disability" (a community doctor's opinion of "disability" doesn't really make a big impact on the application). 

Thank you very much for your in-depth reply. It sounds as if it would be a bigger hassle than it's worth!