I want to sign off ESA and start work. Advice please, worried.

sophiarose88

I have been on ESA for 8 months due to depression and anxiety. Over christmas I have been on medication and trying to help myself, I even applied for a job in the hopes that I might be well enough to work should anything come of it.

Turns out I was offered the job and I start in March.

How do I sign myself off of ESA? Will I get into trouble for applying for a job? When do I sign off? Should I sign off now and then lose the money for march and rely on savings until I start work?

I really feel that working will benefit me mentally and that this is the right thing for me to do right now as I have been slowly making progress since I started ESA. Advice please.

cattie

I'm not too sure about how one signs off of ESA, but want to congratulate you and say very well done in making an effort to get yourself back into work to help combat your depression and anxiety. I'm sure being in the workplace once again will really be a benefit to you & wish you luck in your new job.

rogerblack

You can and should if you are able to - seek work on ESA - if you still qualify for ESA.
If moving from ESA directly into work - you may be entitled to Job Grant - https://www.gov.uk/job-grant and return to work credit.
https://www.gov.uk/return-to-work-credit

Do NOT sign off ESA now, if you are still entitled to it on health grounds.

Phone the number on the last letter you got, the day before you intend to start work.
Follow this up with a letter the same day, and get proof of posting or send it recorded.

In principle, you could phone them and arrange for the first couple of days to be 'permitted work'.
I suspect in practice this will be more hastle than it's worth.
It may be a route to look at if you suspect you may not manage.

sophiarose88

cattie wrote: »

I'm not too sure about how one signs off of ESA, but want to congratulate you and say very well done in making an effort to get yourself back into work to help combat your depression and anxiety. I'm sure being in the workplace once again will really be a benefit to you & wish you luck in your new job.

Thank you very much, I really hope it will help me to combat these issues.

rogerblack wrote: »

You can and should if you are able to - seek work on ESA - if you still qualify for ESA.
If moving from ESA directly into work - you may be entitled to Job Grant - and return to work credit.


Do NOT sign off ESA now, if you are still entitled to it on health grounds.

Phone the number on the last letter you got, the day before you intend to start work.
Follow this up with a letter the same day, and get proof of posting or send it recorded.

In principle, you could phone them and arrange for the first couple of days to be 'permitted work'.
I suspect in practice this will be more hastle than it's worth.
It may be a route to look at if you suspect you may not manage.

Thank you very much, this has been a great help. I am currently 2 months behind on payments from them as they are waiting for a note from the doctor. I will get the note this week as I have been struggling to get there due to my anxiety still (although I have gotten this job, I still struggle but I am going to try my hardest to get through this - Doctor appointments are still especially a huge issue for me).

I was mainly worried about coming off it to get a job incase they thought I was always fit for work or that I wasn't ill to start with. I worried they would think "well, she was too ill to leave the house but now she is working?". I understand this isn't rational thinking and that I have been doing things for the last few months step by step to help myself get better (including medication and going out on walks and fixing sleeping pattern etc) but I just worry about this as I would really like to move on with my life and start over with this new job, even though I do still really struggle with depression and anxiety.

Thanks again, apologies that this was a little long!

sophiarose88

Also, another question that just came to mind.

Will ESA want to know any details about my future employer or the place I have found work? Or will I be allowed to keep this private?

I would prefer to just start new in this job without any ties to ESA in the future. Thanks again.

Two4Tuesday

You can keep this private if you wish. The DWP will not ask you where you are working, and if you are with any training provider or Work Related Activity provider, they might hassle you on the phone but you don't have to tell them, particularly if they didn't help you get the job.

sophiarose88

Two4Tuesday wrote: »

You can keep this private if you wish. The DWP will not ask you where you are working, and if you are with any training provider or Work Related Activity provider, they might hassle you on the phone but you don't have to tell them, particularly if they didn't help you get the job.

Thank you, they didn't help me get this job so it would be great to just keep it private and separate from everything related to my illness.

epitome

1. If you are in WRAG or SG then skip to point 4
2. If you are on appeal or still in assessment phase go to point 3
3. You have to continue to supply sick notes from your Dr to get paid up to the day before you start work. The sick notes must cover you for all the days till you start work.
4. You don't need sick notes to get paid ESA.

Assuming this is full time work
Lets say you start work on 1st March
Lets say your expected fortnightly ESA payday is the 28th Feb
As this is before your work start date then there is no problem Phoning ESA on your payday to say I am starting F/T work tomorrow and want to close my claim from tommorrow.

Lets say your ESA payday is 4th March
This means your pay will be released on 27th Feb so if you phone on the 28th you pay will already have been released and you will have to pay some back.

Lets say your ESA payday is 5 days or more after starting work. Then phoning on the 28th to close your claim could be ok and will not result in an overpayment.

I say could because it could take 4 or 5 days to get it actioned. If you want to be sure they will action it within 24 hours then ask for a call back to confirm they have closed/suspended your claim. If you call in the morning you get a call the same day.

If the work is less than 16 hours a week, you can stay on ESA while you work, and should phone to tell them now that you have an employment start date.