Income Support and Work

LocoLoco

Hi there, I wonder if anyone might know what it's best for me to do in a situation I have found myself in?

To give some background, I have a disabled child (age 13) who I have been at home with full time for eight years. I was a teacher and gave up work to teach him at home as I wasn't happy with the way he was being treated in school and the effect it was having on his health. Because of his health problems, I receive Carer's Allowance which is topped up with Income Support.

A friend of mine has a cleaning job at a Community Centre which she does for an hour a day, four days a week. A little while ago she asked if I could do one day for her (one hour) for the foreseeable future. I rang Income Support and they said it was fine, it was within the amount you can earn on top (it's £10) and they just needed a letter from the centre confirming that I was just doing that and that's what I was earning, which was fine.

The lady at the Community Centre said they couldn't write a letter as they weren't paying me directly (they were going to pay my friend as normal and she would then pass it on to me). I rang Income Support again and the lady said to get a letter from my friend confirming everything and that would be fine. However when I asked my friend she told me she couldn't write a letter as she wasn't declaring the job and didn't want anyone to know she was doing it. I didn't know that before and I didn't feel comfortable doing it with that in mind so I told them I wouldn't be able to go in again and informed Income Support that I'd stopped the job.

I've now had a letter from Income Support saying they need written confirmation of what I did and how much I got paid but I don't have anyone willing to write a letter. I basically did four hours over a four week period for which I would have received £40 although I haven't actually been paid yet as I've not seen my friend for a few weeks.

I don't know what to do now. I don't want to cause problems for my friend but also don't want to cause problems for myself. I've been open and above board with what I was doing so there's no fraudulent or inappropriate action on my part but I don't know how I can prove the hours without someone who is willing to write a letter. The only thing I could think of is if I write an invoice for the work the way you would if you were self employed and get it signed to say it was paid but I don't know if that would be deemed dodgy in some way?

If anyone knows what might be acceptable in this situation I'd be very grateful for the advice. Many thanks.

TELLIT01

Put what you have written here in a letter to Income Support and take it from there. You can't try to protect your friend or you may well find your own benefit being stopped.

NYM

Send a Statement to your friend. Include her name and address and detail the days/hours & where you worked and the amount as agreed. Note on it that the account remains unpaid at *insert date* and then provide a copy of it to the IS people ?

They'll have her details, details of where you worked, the hours you did and the amount you charged.

LocoLoco

Thank you both for that, will get it written up and send it in to them, will feel bad it causes problems for my friends but I don't want to get into trouble when I've not done anything I shouldn't. Thank you for the feedback.

bigbill

It's £20 weekly before your IS gets reduced.

billywilly

LocoLoco wrote: »

Thank you both for that, will get it written up and send it in to them, will feel bad it causes problems for my friends but I don't want to get into trouble when I've not done anything I shouldn't. Thank you for the feedback.

How to lose friends?

I would have done it another way. Tell the DWP exactly how many hours you worked, at what rate and that you have not yet been paid. Tell them that you have no other details other than a time record. You are under no obligation to tell them who you worked for, just that it was casual employment and that it has now ended. Then wait to see what they say.
Of course they would be interested, as would HMRC in the 'person' but you are not required to tell them who this person is.

They either have to believe what you say or not. If not then they have to explain why not..

Years ago my wife had a pub and employed many casuals 'off the book' - a few hours here and a few hours there. The DWP came in one day and wanted my wife to confirm that Miss *** was employed. She told them not at all - she was simply a friend who popped over to see her and also gave her a hand, as friends do. She was not employed and received no wages.

Not a lot that the DWP could do.about it.