ESA. Partner has xmas temp job

holnrew

I've been searching for an answer to this question and finding conflicting answers.

What is the maximum amount of hours she can work before it affects the ESA? Is it 16 or 24? Or is it just if she earns less than £95 per week?

She's currently doing 20 hours per week, but it could be changed to adjust the average per week.

Thanks in advance for any help.

eskimo26

She is allowed to seek work on ESA but when she finds it she needs to sign off then reapply later, unless its permitted work which is the only work you can do on ESA.

permitted work on ESA is anything LESS then 16 hours a week and you have to discuss it with your adviser too...

Although you do not need permission to do Permitted Work, you must check that the work you want to do is allowed under the Permitted Work rules. You should discuss this with your personal adviser.

so i really hope she hasn't started working yet because they will take her to the cleaners, there's is no way you can work 20 hours on ESA. You should also be aware that some people have reported that doing 'permitted work' on ESA has triggered a reassessment no doubt they will tell you this is a coincidence but you have been warned.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_171909

I'm pretty sure you can't do 20 hrs on JSA either at least not without them docking the benefit so you won't actually make any money. So pretty stupid advise to go on JSA.

rogerblack

eskimo26 wrote: »

so i really hope she hasn't started working yet because they will take her to the cleaners, there's is no way you can work 20 hours on ESA.

You can, if you are making under a pound an hour (permitted work, lower level).
Or if doing 'supported permitted work' - and earning under 100/week.

You must contact the DWP first though!

eskimo26

rogerblack wrote: »

You can, if you are making under a pound an hour (permitted work, lower level).
Or if doing 'supported permitted work' - and earning under 100/week.

You must contact the DWP first though!

I thought you'd come by with some kind of wizardry, but it still sounds like she's up the creek without a paddle so to speak. :eek:

I checked the website again and you are correct, incidentally how would you go about getting supported work, do you request a 'supervisor' or go find one yourself? Its not really explained...

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.

rogerblack

eskimo26 wrote: »

I thought you'd come by with some kind of wizardry, but it still sounds like she's up the creek without a paddle so to speak. :eek:

I checked the website again and you are correct, incidentally how would you go about getting supported work, do you request a 'supervisor' or go find one yourself? Its not really explained...

I should have expanded on this.
It's a very limited option.
A supervisor in this case is one who is employed by certain agencies (charities, parts of the DWP) with the aim of helping people into work.

The work that they are helped to do must be 'substantially supervised' by the supervisor - this would be more than just checking once a week that you're OK, for example.
It is likely to be really, really tricky to get someone self-employed into the 'supported permitted work' category.
I'm trying to do this, and getting nowhere.

Tehya

OP is it you or your partner who is ill and claiming ESA?

If it's your partner claiming and working then I think she needs to contact the DWP so she doesn't get in trouble or have an overpayment. If it is you who is ill then your partner can work but it depends on hours, wage and whether your claim is income or contribution based.

If the claim is yours (i.e. you're the one who is ill) and it's contribution based then you are still entitled to ESA regardless of hours, wages your partner earns.

Again if the claim yours and it's income based then she can only earn £20 a week before they start taking £1 off for every pound earned after the first £20. The partner of the claimant can only work 24 hours a week anything over that and the claim will end.

holnrew

Tehya wrote: »

OP is it you or your partner who is ill and claiming ESA?

If it's your partner claiming and working then I think she needs to contact the DWP so she doesn't get in trouble or have an overpayment. If it is you who is ill then your partner can work but it depends on hours, wage and whether your claim is income or contribution based.

If the claim is yours (i.e. you're the one who is ill) and it's contribution based then you are still entitled to ESA regardless of hours, wages your partner earns.

Again if the claim yours and it's income based then she can only earn £20 a week before they start taking £1 off for every pound earned after the first £20. The partner of the claimant can only work 24 hours a week anything over that and the claim will end.

It's a joint claim in my name, it's me who is ill. It's income based ESA. Does this mean no matter how many hours she works anything above £20 earned is pointless?

It's quite annoying as she is eager to work, but it seems silly when there's so little incentive to.

cord123

holnrew wrote: »

It's a joint claim in my name, it's me who is ill. It's income based ESA. Does this mean no matter how many hours she works anything above £20 earned is pointless?

It's quite annoying as she is eager to work, but it seems silly when there's so little incentive to.

surely the incentive is that she is earning her own money.....?

holnrew

cord123 wrote: »

surely the incentive is that she is earning her own money.....?

Well yes. And experience and a reference...

Anyway, anybody got any advice on what the best thing to do now is? Informing the DWP (and council for housing benefits) is a given, but would reducing the hours improve the income from benefits? Will they be difficult about reinstating the full amount of benefits once she's stopped working?

babymoo

I'm currently going through this at the moment. Permitted work is anything under 16 hours but you can only earn £20 a week anythin else they will dock it off the ESA.

I'm currently working 12 hours a week on permitted work and earning just under £75 a week and so they are taking £55 a week off me. On the other hand working 20 hours means she's entitled to working tax credits (age depending) and possibly a back to work credit.

She needs to speak to the disability co-ordinator at your local job centre. They will tell you everything you need to know and help you fill any forms in.

teresa555

babymoo wrote: »

I'm currently going through this at the moment. Permitted work is anything under 16 hours but you can only earn £20 a week anythin else they will dock it off the ESA.

I'm currently working 12 hours a week on permitted work and earning just under £75 a week and so they are taking £55 a week off me. On the other hand working 20 hours means she's entitled to working tax credits (age depending) and possibly a back to work credit.

She needs to speak to the disability co-ordinator at your local job centre. They will tell you everything you need to know and help you fill any forms in.

hi, i was told that if you were on permitted work it wouldn't affect your benefits as long as it was less than 16hrs and under £95, hope you don't mind me asking but why do they take £55 off you, are you sure its permitted work