Letting ESA know after job has started?

cftm123

Hi, after looking for a long time I have finally found what I think is a suitable job. I am planning to get my appointee to let the ESA know. As it is less than 16hrs a week/less than £131.50 a week, it shouldnt affect the benefits. The issue I have is that it is very likely I will need to start the job asap.

1) What is the quickest way to let the ESA know that I have got a job?
2) Will I lose the ESA if I start the job and then my apppintee lets them know? (I noticed it says on the form to let them know 'On what date DID you start
work or will you start work', this seems to imply it is permitted to start work and then let the ESA know, is this correct?)

Thanks

poppy12345

cftm123 wrote: »

Hi, after looking for a long time I have finally found what I think is a suitable job. I am planning to get my appointee to let the ESA know. As it is less than 16hrs a week/less than £131.50 a week, it shouldnt affect the benefits. The issue I have is that it is very likely I will need to start the job asap.

1) What is the quickest way to let the ESA know that I have got a job?
2) Will I lose the ESA if I start the job and then my apppintee lets them know? (I noticed it says on the form to let them know 'On what date DID you start
work or will you start work', this seems to imply it is permitted to start work and then let the ESA know, is this correct?)

Thanks

Your appointee will need to contact ESA before you start work. See link. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Permitted-Work-Rules


Do be aware that if any work you do contradicts the reasons for your ESA claim then you could be assessed early and it could go against you.

passatrider

poppy12345 wrote: »

Your appointee will need to contact ESA before you start work. See link. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Permitted-Work-Rules


Do be aware that if any work you do contradicts the reasons for your ESA claim then you could be assessed early and it could go against you.

This is a very grey area as the PW1 Permitted Work form clearly states what date do you start, or did you start the work?
As long as the work is within the earning limits and under 16 hours then I don’t see why the OP can’t start but inform them ASAP of the date and enclose any payslips if available.

As far as contradicting reasons I think the DWP will see it as a change of circumstances regardless and issue a ESA 50 assessment form if they see fit.
I would however seriously consider if it’s worth the risk given the devious ways the DWP operate.

calcotti

passatrider wrote: »

As far as contradicting reasons I think the DWP will see it as a change of circumstances regardless and issue a ESA 50 assessment form if they see fit.

I've never experienced that - perhaps others have.

passatrider

calcotti wrote: »

I've never experienced that - perhaps others have.

You may be the exception rather than the rule 👍

calcotti

The instructions on the permitted work form say "You must fill in and send back this questionnaire if you do any work. If you have already started work you must send your first wage slip with this questionnaire."

This clearly indicates that sending back the form after starting work is envisaged as a possibility.

I think the PW1 is an administrative process. The legislation just defines what permitted work is, if the work meets the criteria it is permitted.

TELLIT01

passatrider wrote: »

As far as contradicting reasons I think the DWP will see it as a change of circumstances regardless and issue a ESA 50 assessment form if they see fit.
I would however seriously consider if it’s worth the risk given the devious ways the DWP operate.

I worked on ESA for several years and have no experience of that happening. What did happen to a friend was that he contacted ESA for a PW1 because he was considering trying Permitted Work, and stressed that he didn't have a job lined up. The muppet he dealt with at ESA suspended his payments! That was quickly sorted when he called them back and the issue there was the muppet not knowing the system properly.
The only reason an ESA50 is likely to be issued is if the Permitted Work job involves activity which would contradict the health condition they are claiming on the basis of. For example, a person signed off with 'severe back pain' then starting a job which involved a lot of bending or heavy lifting.
Permitted Work is intended to help people back into work and scaring people off trying isn't doing anybody any favours.

passatrider

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I worked on ESA for several years and have no experience of that happening. What did happen to a friend was that he contacted ESA for a PW1 because he was considering trying Permitted Work, and stressed that he didn't have a job lined up. The muppet he dealt with at ESA suspended his payments! That was quickly sorted when he called them back and the issue there was the muppet not knowing the system properly.
The only reason an ESA50 is likely to be issued is if the Permitted Work job involves activity which would contradict the health condition they are claiming on the basis of. For example, a person signed off with 'severe back pain' then starting a job which involved a lot of bending or heavy lifting.
Permitted Work is intended to help people back into work and scaring people off trying isn't doing anybody any favours.

I’m sorry but the DWP is not on the side of the claimant, this I know from bitter experience and reading many other stories regarding ESA and Permitted Work. That said, I’m not scaring anyone from trying just to think twice before they undertake any work.

sportsarb

Having worked in ESA we were never under any direction, implicit or explicit, to refer people for WCA's when they started doing permitted work. Nothing in the process calls for it. Someone might take it upon themselves to start one but I struggle to believe this is systemic because simply it is too much work to do when it just simply isn't required.

Also agree with Calcotti that my experience is that you can start the work, then report it, so long as you are sure that you fall within the limits and nothing involved in the work contradicts your reason for claiming.

There were numerous fraud referrals I came across where the fraud section called someone in, the file got passed to us and we were required to send it to a decision maker, and time and time again it came back that the work was permitted because it fell within the limits but the person hadn't told the department.

Of course, its always best to tell the department, because it prevents stupid !!!! like that becoming possible. It just wasted everyones time and we had to explain the process to a confused fraud officer.

TELLIT01

I always advised claimants to do a PW1 before starting work, simply because it does remove the minimal risk of the PW request being refused.
DWP advise is, or was, contradictory. "Guidance" stated that permission must be obtained before starting work whereas the actual PW1 talks about having started work and sending in payslip.