Can partner work while I'm on ESA?

Bipmin

I'm on income based ESA. My partner is on my claim as we moved in together, but I am the main claimant. She wants to get some part time work. Will this affect the claim if she does? Or, what is the maximum she can earn?

Robbie64

It depends on your circumstances as it is a means tested benefit. Earnings will always affect the amount you receive but there are various reasons why the amount you could receive may differ.

How many hours per week would she be wanting to work? What, if any, income other than wages will she have? Do you own your own property or do you rent? There are other things to consider too but these are the main three to consider before any sort of answer can be given.

Bipmin

Well like a shop assistant job. No more than 16 hours. And we rent a house currently.

seven-day-weekend

I think this question is the wrong way round! Surely it should be, my partner is going to work, how does this affect my Benefit? Whether you work or not should not be based on how much you will get in Benefits if you don't, surely?

To the OP, if you are on means-tested ESA, this will be adjusted accordingly based on how much the family income is.

Gentile

Bipmin wrote: »

Well like a shop assistant job. No more than 16 hours. And we rent a house currently.

why no more than a 16 hours? What is the logic in that magic number? If you both are reliant on benefits does it not make sense to work more and get off benefits?

rogerblack

Any earnings she has over a few pounds a week - 20 pounds are taken off pound for pound from your claim.

Voyager2002

rogerblack wrote: »

Any earnings she has over a few pounds a week - 20 pounds are taken off pound for pound from your claim.

If that were the case, it would not make sense for her to work unless her weekly wage were well above the amount of benefits the household received.

Fortunately, the real situation is a good deal more complicated than this: the OP needs to use one of the sites that asks for all relevant information and does a benefit calculation, or at least to post relevant details here so that an expert can advise.

rogerblack

Voyager2002 wrote: »

If that were the case, it would not make sense for her to work unless her weekly wage were well above the amount of benefits the household received.

Fortunately, the real situation is a good deal more complicated than this: the OP needs to use one of the sites that asks for all relevant information and does a benefit calculation, or at least to post relevant details here so that an expert can advise.

As I understand it, however, the above statement was correct.
For someone on IB-ESA - or indeed IBJSA - if the partner earns, then after a small allowance, it's disregarded.

The only income disregarded for an ESA-IR claim is generally the first 20 pounds.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch49.pdf 49141 and on.

The general position is that couples are supposed to support each other, and that income-based awards have a sharp means test of income that mean that if you are earning more than the award (less disregard), you get nothing.

And yes, this does create a large barrier into work.

Bipmin

Gentile wrote: »

why no more than a 16 hours? What is the logic in that magic number? If you both are reliant on benefits does it not make sense to work more and get off benefits?

It was a rough estimate, not a definite figure. There's no need to be a !!!!!! about it.

von

Your partner can work up to 24 hours per week whilst you are claiming ESA(IR), if she works 24 hours per week or more then you will no longer be entitled to ESA(IR).
If she works under 24 hours per week the first 20.00 of her earnings are disregarded and the remainder is taken into account in your ESA(IR) assessment pound for pound e.g. your weekly entitlement is £111.45, partner earns £100 per week then your weekly entitlement would be £111.45 per week less £80.00 = £31.45 per week making you £20.00 per week better off.