We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
Permitted Work & Income Related ESA

Twentiesgirl
Posts: 69 Forumite
Hi,
I have a question surrounding permitted work as I am getting conflicting advise.
Okay the facts I am currently on Income Related ESA in the WRAG, High rate care and Low rate mobility DLA, housing and council tax benefit.
I am interested in doing some paid work with my local mental health trust that would be supported as my boss would be an Occupational Therapist and so on. It would be part of my recovery and in time I would like to come off ESA and go onto tax credits but right now thats not possible.
The work would be sporadic in that some weeks I would work a full day (8 hours) some a few hours and some not at all however it would be paid at a fair rate.
My question is I have had really conflicting advise about the impact of work on my benefits. I have always been led to believe that permitted work meant I could work under 16 hours and earn less than 97.50 (or around that) and keep all my benefits.
However I have now been told by a gentleman from the job center that because I am on Income Related ESA it is means tested and so I can only earn £20 a week and anything more would impact on my ESA however as I am on high rate DLA my housing benefit and council tax benefit would stay the same.
So is this the case and does anyone have any proof one way another?
The thought of having to ring the DWP and my council every week to say how much I have earnt just seems to be a nightmare as my income would vary every week and I hate the phone.
I could do the work voluntarily but I'm not the only person impacted and am not sure if they would be willing to let me be unpaid but I would have to sort this out.
I want to do the job so not doing it isn't an issue.
I think it's 'cash in hand' but am not the type to commit benefit fraud and it doesn't sit well with me.
and I just don't know what do!!!
I have a question surrounding permitted work as I am getting conflicting advise.
Okay the facts I am currently on Income Related ESA in the WRAG, High rate care and Low rate mobility DLA, housing and council tax benefit.
I am interested in doing some paid work with my local mental health trust that would be supported as my boss would be an Occupational Therapist and so on. It would be part of my recovery and in time I would like to come off ESA and go onto tax credits but right now thats not possible.
The work would be sporadic in that some weeks I would work a full day (8 hours) some a few hours and some not at all however it would be paid at a fair rate.
My question is I have had really conflicting advise about the impact of work on my benefits. I have always been led to believe that permitted work meant I could work under 16 hours and earn less than 97.50 (or around that) and keep all my benefits.
However I have now been told by a gentleman from the job center that because I am on Income Related ESA it is means tested and so I can only earn £20 a week and anything more would impact on my ESA however as I am on high rate DLA my housing benefit and council tax benefit would stay the same.
So is this the case and does anyone have any proof one way another?
The thought of having to ring the DWP and my council every week to say how much I have earnt just seems to be a nightmare as my income would vary every week and I hate the phone.
I could do the work voluntarily but I'm not the only person impacted and am not sure if they would be willing to let me be unpaid but I would have to sort this out.
I want to do the job so not doing it isn't an issue.
I think it's 'cash in hand' but am not the type to commit benefit fraud and it doesn't sit well with me.
and I just don't know what do!!!
0
Comments
-
He is wrong.
There are 2 types of permitted work. Lower level permitted work which is 20 pounds a week for an unlimited number of hours and higher level permitted work which is under 16 hours and below 95 pounds.
Supported permitted work at the higher level can be done without a time limit.0 -
It would be supported permitted work but as I'm on means tested benefit I've been told it would be impacted?0
-
it use to be that you could do the permitted work for a period of 12 months without it affecting your benefits, as long as you worked under 15 hrs (as 16hrs being disabled would take you into tax credits area0.
Have you looked on the direct gov website, - that may have more info, and you could print it off and take to your advisior. xxx rip dad... we had our ups and downs but we’re always be family xx0 -
He is wrong. If you were on IS, then yes, you would lose anything over £20 but not on ESA.
Trying to find something you can print but flaring bad atm, a quick google gave me this:The over £20 rule doesn’t seem very helpful for gradually moving off benefits, is that going to get better?
Yes there is a new benefit called Employment Support Allowance (ESA). ESA replaces incapacity benefit and income support. ESA has better rules for earning more money. This is because even if you are getting income related ESA you can keep all your earnings from permitted work.
http://www.mienterprise.org.uk/page1/page7/page19/page19.html
Do some more research though and you will see he is wrong, unless the rules have changed again....“How people treat you becomes their karma; how you react becomes yours.”0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 348.3K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 452.4K Spending & Discounts
- 240.8K Work, Benefits & Business
- 617.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 175.6K Life & Family
- 254K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards