Permitted work after 52 weeks

Charityworker

My daughter is on ESA in the WRAG group. She was working part time as a pet sitter and her earnings were erratic. One week would be 0 and the next £80 then down again. After 52 weeks the ESA contacted her and said she had to give the work up. Now there's been a gap of about 3 months and she's been offered a paid Saturday job in a zoo. Can she do it? It seems silly that she's been offered paid work and may have to turn it down but it's only 6 hours a week so she can't afford to give up ESA for it.

TELLIT01

I believe there has to be a 52 week break in earnings once the Permitted Work period ends. PW for those in the WRAG is intended to be a way to help them back to work, not as an on-going top up to benefits.

Charityworker

What's the options then? Say no to paid work when the whole idea of ESA WRAG is to help people get back into work?

TELLIT01

Lower rate PW is still an option although that would limit earnings to £20 pw. If somebody is doing PW in the WRAG the assumption is that they would be able to come off ESA after a year of working up to 16 hrs per week. If they were allowed to do PW indefinitely there would be no incentive to find f/t work as ESA is acting as a continuous top up.

Charityworker

But after 52 weeks of permitted work elsewhere she was told she had to stop altogether. The job was building up and she was doing well. Hardly an incentive telling someone they have to stop.

Poppie68

Charityworker wrote: »

But after 52 weeks of permitted work elsewhere she was told she had to stop altogether. The job was building up and she was doing well. Hardly an incentive telling someone they have to stop.

She had a choice she could of carried on past the 52 weeks and stopped her ESA claim. If someone is fit for work for any amount of time do you think it's fair a sickness benefit is paid without a timescale? 52 weeks is more than fair,imho it should be far less.

TELLIT01

Used properly PW can be an effective way of getting people back into work who otherwise would, with an element of legitimacy, remain on benefits. People who have been long term sick can struggle to go straight back into work, so starting with just a few hours per week can increase their confidence. The time limit is there to stop people using PW combined with ESA as a long term alternative to getting back into full employment.

tomtontom

Is this the daughter that in June was placed in the support group based on a less than honest WCA?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5254879

Charityworker

Ok Thankyou all for your "help". Nice to see some friendly faces.

KentishLady

I don't understand. Is your daughter in the support group or the wrag? Was she previously in the wrag and is now in the support group?

IIRC you can do permitted work indefinitely whilst you remain in the support group.

KL

TELLIT01

KentishLady wrote: »

I don't understand. Is your daughter in the support group or the wrag? Was she previously in the wrag and is now in the support group?

IIRC you can do permitted work indefinitely whilst you remain in the support group.

KL

That is correct. There is no limit on the time a person in the Support Group can do Permitted Work.