Local politician on benefits?

DerbyDD

Clarification on working as a councillor and claiming ESA, IS


Other allowed work



The following kinds of work are also allowed:

• care of a relative or domestic tasks carried out in your own home
• work done as a councillor. Any payments over £95 a week will be deducted from your contributory employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance.
• any activity in an emergency, to protect another person, or to prevent serious damage to property or livestock
• duties as a member of the DLA Advisory Board or as a ‘disability member’ of an appeal tribunal – one day a week is allowed (or two half days)
• an approved work trial arranged in writing with the employer by the DWP (or an organisation providing services to the DWP) for which you will receive no wages
• self-employed work done whilst you are 'test trading' for up to 26 weeks with help from a self-employment provider arranged by Jobcentre Plus.

Hmmm

WhiteHorse

Thanks DerbyDD. Most interesting.

wottonby

WhiteHorse wrote: »

Thanks DerbyDD. Most interesting.

That £95 does NOT relate to expenses. It only relates to emoluments.

Expenses may be £3,500 a week, but as long as the emoluments do not exceed £95 AND that they do not WORK* for more than 16 hours in a week, they are well within their rights to the benefit.

* WORK as defined is where you carry out a duty expecting to be paid. They could do voluntary work for any number of hours. It all depends on who defines what.
Generally it is the voluntary work that sets someone up for full time, well paid employment when they leave politics.

patman99

A Borough Councillor will get between £4,000 - £5,000 p/a. For this, you are expected to do 16 hours per week (this is what the money is for) + 15 hours 'free'. They can also claim travel costs on top.

A County Councillor gets £16k - £18k p/a.