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upping your income while on benefits

I am on incapacity benefit, DLA and council tax benefit.
Due to the new stricter regulations in getting everyone off incapacity benefit I am looking for ways to boost my income.
I will not be eligible for jobseekers allowance due to my pension.
As my medical retirement pension income will only cover half of my monthly outgoings and Iwill have no income, plus employers dont like employing medically retired people, I am anticipating very hard times ahead, and would like to look at opportunitites to boost my income.
Will I be able to up my income while on my current benefits, or will it be illegal?

thank you

Comments

  • Incapacity and council tax benefit are both means-tested, so any income over £6,000 will affect your benefit. You may be able to claim housing benefit or income support.
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • Poppycat
    Poppycat Posts: 19,899 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    incapacity benefit isnt means tested but council tax benefit is
  • I think your entitlement to Incapacity Benefit is because you are deemed to be incapable of work. Therefore starting to work means that you no longer satisfy the eligibilty criteria, and therefore cannot continue to claim.

    I understand that you are permitted to work if you earn no more than £20 per week, but this should be checked with someone as below first, as the rules are being tightened up significantly.

    However, there are schemes by which you can do a 'trial' of work to see if you are able to sustain this while still claiming. Again, check first before you accept work.

    For self-employment, I believe that this is called 'test-trading' for up to 26 weeks; but this has to be arranged with help from a self-employment provider arranged by jobcentre plus.

    I would seriously advise that you take advice from a benefits adviser at the CAB before risking your benefits.

    HTH Rosemary
  • bundance
    bundance Posts: 1,114 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    I think your entitlement to Incapacity Benefit is because you are deemed to be incapable of work. Therefore starting to work means that you no longer satisfy the eligibilty criteria, and therefore cannot continue to claim.

    I understand that you are permitted to work if you earn no more than £20 per week, but this should be checked with someone as below first, as the rules are being tightened up significantly.

    However, there are schemes by which you can do a 'trial' of work to see if you are able to sustain this while still claiming. Again, check first before you accept work.

    For self-employment, I believe that this is called 'test-trading' for up to 26 weeks; but this has to be arranged with help from a self-employment provider arranged by jobcentre plus.

    I would seriously advise that you take advice from a benefits adviser at the CAB before risking your benefits.

    HTH Rosemary
    Sorry i worded the question wrong.
    You are allowed to work 16 hours on incap, I am not fit for work atm, had a review last year, but I was thinking in terms of when the government deem me fit for work and put me on JSA which, in my case will be £0.00
    As I am on a ill health pension, employers wornt touch me, so I was thinking ahead, when the goverment kick everyone off incap/esa, fit or not.
    Of course I would check with the DWP before I do anything, as it is illegal in some cases not to.

    thanks
  • Council Tax/housing benefit is means tested but the others are not. However, I do believe that each borough has their own set of policies and rules when it comes to housing benefit so it may be worth checking out the website of your borough and looking at the housing benefit section as the rules and policies should be stated on there.
  • terryw
    terryw Posts: 4,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    The actual administration of Housing benefit does differ from borough to borough but the rules for granting HB must be the same - it is a means tested benefit and providing the claimant has less than the applicable amount of income etc then HB must be paid.
    "If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools"
    Extract from "If" by Rudyard Kipling
  • bundance
    bundance Posts: 1,114 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    I assume, that although policies differ from borough to borough, the goverment rules regarding applicable amounts of income are the same.
    Does anyone know what the applicable amount of income is please?
  • 3Dogs
    3Dogs Posts: 14,092 Forumite
    Try www.entitledto.co.uk where you can check your entitlement - you can even put your details in as if you did not receive Incap anymore and just had your pension, and it should calculate your housing and council tax benefit as well as guiding you to other possible benefits too - they allow extra for being on DLA

    Hope this helps
    :( Mr 3Dogs 3-7-12 :( 3Dogs'Mam 31-3-13 :(
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