Permitted Work Rules

Kirsty262

Not sure if anyone can help me.

I am on IB and also receive DLA. I have been offered a job which would be for about 15 hours per week.

I know you can do up to 16 hours and earn under £81 per week.

Who do I need to speak to about this to make them aware that I am going to try and go back to work (have been unable to work for 2 1/2 years) ?

Will I lose any of my benefits?

Thanks

Jo_R_2

You need to get a form from the Job Centre (name of which escapes me at the mo) to fill in which asks for various details, including employer and pay details. You also have to select whether it will be 'supported' or 'unsupported'. Supported meaning you have someone, usually from some kind of support group/organisation/charity, who will come and see you at work and help you with the job. The difference is that with unsupported permitted work, if you are still in that job after a year, then your IB will be withdrawn as you will be deemed fit for work. However, if you select supported, then the arrangement can carry on indefinitely. You will be required to keep the Job Centre updated, they have specific intervals at which they check your progress.

For the period that you are on permitted work, you will not lose your IB, nor your DLA, as you are entitled to DLA regardless of whether you are working or not as it is not means-tested.

If anyone knows the finer points to elaborate please feel free to add!

Ted_Hutchinson

Disability Alliance Permitted Work Rules

Do be aware that the Minimum wage for workers aged 22 and over is currently set at £5.05 an hour.
On 1 October 2006 this will increase to £5.35

Do make sure your wage isn't more than the National Mimimum Wage currently it's 15 x £5,05=£75.75
But from 1.10.2006 it will be 15 x £5.35=£80.25 which doesn't leave much room for your employer being generous.
Remember 1p over the £81 means no IB for that week so you do need to stay under the limit. You cannot "average" your wages over any period so no good earning £10 more one week and £10 less the next. That would simply mean the week you were over there would be NO IB but just the week you were £10 under you would get both.

Kirsty262

I rang the job centre this morning and she said that you could earn £81 per week before tax etc but asccording to the site Ted_Hutchinson posted you can earn £81 per week after deductions, for a 52 week period?

hjb123

Try contacting the Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 and see what they say. To be honest I dont know whether its before or after deductions - my pay for mystery shopping comes nowhere near the limits as I dont do it that often!

Kirsty262

hjb123 wrote:

Try contacting the Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 and see what they say. To be honest I dont know whether its before or after deductions - my pay for mystery shopping comes nowhere near the limits as I dont do it that often!

will ring them now

Kirsty262

just spoke to Benefits Enquiry line who confirmed that it is £81 after deductions