Only fit enough to work 8 hours per week (UC/ESA)

thinkstoomuch

I should say that I'm a Citizens Advice volunteer but my own office doesn't really know the answer as there's nothing written down so I'm trying here.

I'm currently on IR ESA for chronic uni-polar depression. I've been in the Support group for 6 years. It's taken 4 years of slowly building up but I'm now up to 8 hours a week volunteering (6hrs CAB and 2hrs with a little art group). I spend the rest of my time sleeping or resting. It shatters me mentally and physically although it's been good for me.

So I have my WCA in January. I really don't think I'll get support group again. So it's a toss up between WRAG or going on UC. What I'm wondering about is- if I have to go on UC and job-hunt, can I get my work commitment made as low as 8 hours a week given I have physical/mental limits? Likewise, if I go on WRAG, can I have an 8 hour limit to those work related activities in a week? My GP would support me with a letter saying any more would jeopardise my recovery right now.

I'm worried that I'll be found fit for work but the job centre will say I'm not fit enough to find work and I'll be stuck in the middle. Any guidance would be great.

Alice_Holt

On UC a lot will depend on the work coach you are assigned.
Your limits should be recognised and work commitments adjusted accordingly. But UC work coaches seem to have a fair bit of discretion. A GP's letter would certainly be helpful.

UC, of course, has it's LCW group (the equivalent of ESA Wrag).
One advantage of UC is that even if in the LCW rf LCWRA it is easier to work than under the ESA permitted work regime.

Have you emailed this question to the Expert Advice Team within Citizens Advice?

thinkstoomuch

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't know about the Expert Advice Team- I don't know if that's because I'm up in Scotland or not. I'll ask management when I'm in tomorrow.

Thank you for your reply. So, in theory, I could 'get away with' (that's not the right term) my 8 hours on UC while I need to? That makes me less anxious. But I will see if I can get higher advice. Ta!

poppy12345

There's also no extra money for those claiming LCW under UC. If you were placed in the WRAG after your next assessment then because your claim started before April 2017 then you will received the WRAG rate before it changed.