Permitted work and ESA

Toomuchdebt

I've been reading about it and I'm still a little confused as to what would be permitted? In my case I'm in the support group and ideally would like to find literally up to 10 hours a week spread out over a few days, in a job that enables me to be sitting down. I can't manage to stand for long periods of time, and anything over 10 hours is likely to exhaust me so much that I can't manage anything else(that sounds so pathetic) I'm a single mum with an 11 and 9 year old(older kids no longer live at home).
Is this something I would be allowed to do under the permitted work thing? I've just had to get a car as I couldn't manage the walk to school and back home any longer, so hopefully I will manage a little better in the mornings now but obviously owning a car costs money so if I could manage to find some work that wouldn't affect the money I currently get that would be really helpful.
If I've understood it correctly I would have to get permission before finding a job, is that correct? Or would I find one first and then get the approval for it?

TELLIT01

The work you describe would be likely to fall within Permitted Work rules. It must be under 16 hours per week, and there is also an earnings limit which equates to 16 x minimum wage.
It is certainly advisible to get permission before starting a job although guidance is ambiguous, as in one place it states you must get permission before starting, but the PW form actually states that you need to send payslips if you have already started.

calcotti

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/while-youre-getting-esa/working-while-getting-esa/

Toomuchdebt

TELLIT01 wrote: »

The work you describe would be likely to fall within Permitted Work rules. It must be under 16 hours per week, and there is also an earnings limit which equates to 16 x minimum wage.
It is certainly advisible to get permission before starting a job although guidance is ambiguous, as in one place it states you must get permission before starting, but the PW form actually states that you need to send payslips if you have already started.

Thank you-I'll definitely try and let them know before hand...There isn't much around at the moment that meets the hours and type of work I need so it's not an urgent thing in any case.

calcotti wrote: »

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/while-youre-getting-esa/working-while-getting-esa/

Thank you-exactly what I needed

TELLIT01

Although it is certainly advisable to inform DWP before you start work, I wouldn't recommend contacting them before you actually have something lined up. A friend of mine phoned to enquire about the rules surrounding PW and asking for a PW form. He told them that he didn't have anything planned but wanted to be prepared. When his next ESA payment didn't arrive he phoned to find out why. He was told it was because he hadn't returned to PW form! When he explained the situation he was told there was a note on the system saying he had started work!
Not all, or even most, DWP are idiots but best not to risk it. :-)

Toomuchdebt

Oh yikes....I'll wait until I am literally about to start in that case just in case
I have a feeling it'll be harder than I thought to find anything though...literally everything I've seen so far is over 20 hours if a sitting down job, or it's sales assistant which are all standing up jobs these days. Or it's evening work which I can't do as I have an 11 and 9 year old.

the_tired_one

A neighbour of mine who has been on ESA for a while had a meeting at the job centre (in Wales) last week with an advisor. Went very well and voluntary/permitted work was discussed.

He was left under the impression that it did not matter what the hourly rate was (as long as miniumum wage criteria was met) but it had to be under 16 hours. When he asked as an example, what if it was 15 hours at £20/hr he was told not a problem.

That did not seem right to me

poppy12345

the_tired_one wrote: »

He was left under the impression that it did not matter what the hourly rate was (as long as miniumum wage criteria was met) but it had to be under 16 hours. When he asked as an example, what if it was 15 hours at £20/hr he was told not a problem.

That did not seem right to me

That is not correct and really bad advice given again by a work coach. For permitted work you must not earn anymore than £131.50 per week, anything more than that and their ESA will stop.



https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Permitted-Work-Rules

TELLIT01

the_tired_one wrote: »

A neighbour of mine who has been on ESA for a while had a meeting at the job centre (in Wales) last week with an advisor. Went very well and voluntary/permitted work was discussed.

He was left under the impression that it did not matter what the hourly rate was (as long as miniumum wage criteria was met) but it had to be under 16 hours. When he asked as an example, what if it was 15 hours at £20/hr he was told not a problem.

That did not seem right to me

They need to get a new advisor. There is an upper earnings limit as poppy says.