Earning "Pocket Money" while on ESA...!

Debt_Tired

Hello Everyone

I'm currently on ESA. I've been on ESA for two years. last Christmas I wrote a short story (science fiction). I did nothing with it for months and months, until someone told me about Amazon Kindle. Accordingly I formatted my "eBook" and uploaded it. The book costs £2.14 and for every one sold I secure 70%. I've sold around 36 copies in three months, and that's the problem. I'm on ESA, so how will my modest income affect my benefits? I am not into "screwing the system", and doubt if I will secure a fortune, but I don't want to rock the boat. What do I do?

That said I will have to sell around 100 copies before Amazon sends me a cheque.

I've also been busy creating a few works of digital art and would like to sell a few prints through local galleries. Again, my income would be modest, but I don't want to rock the boat, nor end up making zilch after working for two years on this project (original designed to decorate my flat). I suffer from several depression and have problems concentrating, but writing and playing around in Photoshop has helped, albeit in short bursts (a few hours every other day...)...

All advice appreciated...

Best Wishes

Debt Tired

pcombo

If you've not actually had any money, i dont see what the problem is.

By doing sutff like you said, it could take your mind away from depression, and maybe end up getting you off ESA.

bigbill

Normally you can work and earn up to £95 weekly while on ESA and no change

BrettMorganxD

bigbill wrote: »

Normally you can work and earn up to £95 weekly while on ESA and no change

I think that is carers allowance you are talking about.

ESA rules are simlair to JSA. You can earn £5 per week and anything above that is taken off your benefit pound for pound

System

BrettMorganxD wrote: »

I think that is carers allowance you are talking about.

ESA rules are simlair to JSA. You can earn £5 per week and anything above that is taken off your benefit pound for pound

Not quite

On ESA you can do permitted work

The Permitted Work rules
Under the Permitted Work rules you can:
-work for less than 16 hours a week on average, with earnings up to £95.00 a week for 52 weeks
-work for less than 16 hours a week, on average, with earnings up to £95.00 a week if you are in the Support Group of the main phase of Employment and Support Allowance
-work and earn up to £20 a week, at any time, for as long as you are receiving Employment and Support Allowance
-do Supported Permitted Work and earn up to £95.00 a week for as long as you are receiving Employment and Support Allowance, provided you continue to satisfy the Supported Permitted Work criteria

Supported Permitted Work means work that is supervised by someone who is employed by a public or local council or a voluntary organisation, and whose job it is to arrange work for disabled people. This could be work done in the community or in a sheltered workshop. It also includes work as part of a hospital treatment programme.