Wanting Off ESA, Hopefully Back to Work!

frejatries

Hello everyone, my name is Freja and I am single, no dependants and in my early 40’s.

I have been in receipt of sickness benefit since my last paid job ended in 2007, so initially this was Incapacity Benefit and I switched to ESA in 2012 and I was placed in the support group. I have never been re-assessed on ESA and my switch from IB was a paper-based ESA assessment.

My ESA is made up of the following:

ESA Basic Rate £73.10

Support Group £38.55         

Enhanced Disability Premium £16.80   

Severe Disability Premium £65.85         

Carers Premium £36.85

Total income is £231.15

I am ready to go back to work on a part time basis and I have used some benefit calculators, so I think I have an idea of what I am doing, although it feels like a bit of a minefield! Going back to work is a big step for me and I am not sure if I am yet doing the right thing, but I feel it is time to try.

Can I call my local job centre and ask to get a work coach to help me on my way? Is this allowed in the ESA Support Group or just for those in the WRAG group?

I currently get the standard rates of PIP, so I get the SDP added to my ESA. I discovered today that I would still qualify for SDP when ESA stops if I am claiming housing benefit. I would be claiming HB since I am in social housing. Is this correct? I assumed SDP was ONLY paid because of ESA.

I know I must work 16 hours to qualify for Disability Tax Credits but if I work less than 16 hours, I can claim JSA (again I believe SDP means Universal Credit won’t be triggered?

It is a bit of a minefield.

I have applied for a job which is 15 hours and would give me a weekly wage of £177. According to my benefit calculations I would still get SDP at £65.85 and less than 16 hours means I could claim JSA at £17.36. This would mean I would be £28 better off; I think.

I do have restrictions on the kind of work I can do due to both my mental health and physical health, but this job is ideal and limited to three hours a day.

I know about permitted work rules but this job I have applied for pays to much per hour. I have done some voluntary work over the years.

I doubt I’ll get an interview! I am ready to try and get back to work. I do feel I will benefit from a work coach to help me on my way!

Any advice or pointers would be beneficial.

pmlindyloo

It is hard to comment about going back to work because, obviously, we don't know you.
The following are my thoughts, but just in a general sense.
If your disabilities have improved then, in theory, this should have been reported to the DWP regarding your ESA and PIP.  So, the question is, do you still meet the criteria to be on ESA and the support group and the criteria to be receiving PIP at your current rates?
PIP can still be claimed when working so I am not being judgemental (I have no details of your disabilities)
Assuming that you still meet the criteria for claiming ESA in the support group and your PIP and recognising your other comments Permitted Work does seem the most sensible way to go. It is ideal for people who want to try to get back into work but are concerned about whether it is achievable.  Permitted work also allows you to claim all your present benefits plus whatever you earn.
I understand that the job you have applied for would not come under Permitted Work so to answer your questions about this.
Yes, you would get the SDP as part of calculating your housing benefit and having that would mean you would not be migrated to Universal Credit.
Yes, you can ask for a work coach even if you are in the support group of ESA.
I wish you luck with your job application.

calcotti

Having SDP in your Housing Benefit doesn't necessarily mean you get more money. Although the SDP is included in your Housing benefit calculation you cannot get more Housing Benefit than your eligible rent. Because you get income based ESA you would get maximum Housing Benefit even if the SDP was not included.
However, in future, if you stopped getting ESA because of your work and earnings the SDP would still be included in the HB calculation and this would mean that you would get more HB than otherwise once the earnings are taken into account.

I note that you get the carer premium in your ESA. I infer therefore that you are claiming Carer's Allowance for looking after someone else. If you work and earn more than £123/week (£128 from April 6th) you will no longer be eligible for Carer's Allowance and must stop your claim which will also remove the carer premium in ESA.

If you take a job earning £177/week you will have breached the earnings limit of £131.50 for permitted work under ESA and will no longer be eligible for any ESA. 
See https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/while-youre-getting-esa/working-while-getting-esa/

If you work more than 16 hours/week you cannot claim JSA but could claim Working Tax Credits.

If you work less than 15 hours you could claim JSA but your earnings are fully taken into account (less a £20 disregard because of the disability premium) so even with the SDP included you don't qualify for much JSA (I calculate £16.30/week if the £177 is the net earnings). However if claiming JSA you will be expected to look for more work.

15 hours/week is a lot of work for £28 if you have any doubts about how working will affect your health. I would suggest (depending on how your health now affects you) that you would be better trying to ease yourself back into work within the ESA permitted work rules.

frejatries

pmlindyloo said:

It is hard to comment about going back to work because, obviously, we don't know you.
The following are my thoughts, but just in a general sense.
If your disabilities have improved then, in theory, this should have been reported to the DWP regarding your ESA and PIP.  So, the question is, do you still meet the criteria to be on ESA and the support group and the criteria to be receiving PIP at your current rates?
PIP can still be claimed when working so I am not being judgemental (I have no details of your disabilities)
Assuming that you still meet the criteria for claiming ESA in the support group and your PIP and recognising your other comments Permitted Work does seem the most sensible way to go. It is ideal for people who want to try to get back into work but are concerned about whether it is achievable.  Permitted work also allows you to claim all your present benefits plus whatever you earn.
I understand that the job you have applied for would not come under Permitted Work so to answer your questions about this.
Yes, you would get the SDP as part of calculating your housing benefit and having that would mean you would not be migrated to Universal Credit.
Yes, you can ask for a work coach even if you are in the support group of ESA.
I wish you luck with your job application.

Thanks for your response.

In honesty nothing has really changed for me and I recently went through the descriptors for the WCA and scored 24, so I still meet the SG points threshold.

I get zero mental health support due to cutbacks and I've come to realise this won't change. I feel after nearly 13 years out of work I am losing my identity as a person and my life is spent looking after my dad (hence the carers premium) and spending time alone, it's slowly killing me to continue to do nothing for me. Right now it feels my choices are to go back to work to try and create some normality or end it all.

As for PIP, I still do qualify for that, since it was awarded two years ago my mobility has got worse. I was originally on DLA and lost my benefit when it was switched to PIP but won the tribunal.

I'd be happy to speak to a work coach and even be re-assessed for ESA if I needed to be.
Permitted work scares me as I feel it screams 'Look I have a disability!' but this could be an option to see how things go.
Thanks for your advice.

calcotti

frejatries said:.

Permitted work scares me as I feel it screams 'Look I have a disability!' but this could be an option to see how things go..

I think you have misunderstood Permitted Work. Permitted Work is just ordinary work that is within the working hours and earnings limits that define it. There’s nothing special or different about the work itself so I don’t see that it can scream anything. Permitted work allows you to test your ability to work while retaining your ESA and having your earnings ignored.

frejatries

calcotti said:

Having SDP in your Housing Benefit doesn't necessarily mean you get more money. Although the SDP is included in your Housing benefit calculation you cannot get more Housing Benefit than your eligible rent. Because you get income based ESA you would get maximum Housing Benefit even if the SDP was not included.
However, in future, if you stopped getting ESA because of your work and earnings the SDP would still be included in the HB calculation and this would mean that you would get more HB than otherwise once the earnings are taken into account.

I note that you get the carer premium in your ESA. I infer therefore that you are claiming Carer's Allowance for looking after someone else. If you work and earn more than £123/week (£128 from April 6th) you will no longer be eligible for Carer's Allowance and must stop your claim which will also remove the carer premium in ESA.

If you take a job earning £177/week you will have breached the earnings limit of £131.50 for permitted work under ESA and will no longer be eligible for any ESA. 
See removed link - new poster

If you work more than 16 hours/week you cannot claim JSA but could claim Working Tax Credits.

If you work less than 15 hours you could claim JSA but your earnings are fully taken into account (less a £20 disregard because of the disability premium) so even with the SDP included you don't qualify for much JSA (I calculate £16.30/week if the £177 is the net earnings). However if claiming JSA you will be expected to look for more work.

15 hours/week is a lot of work for £28 if you have any doubts about how working will affect your health. I would suggest (depending on how your health now affects you) that you would be better trying to ease yourself back into work within the ESA permitted work rules.

I do know about the rates and limits for Carers Allowance and Permitted Work, my initial plan was to come off all benefits bar the PIP and Housing Benefit, so just end my ESA claim. I realise this might be a little hasty.

frejatries

calcotti said:

frejatries said:.

Permitted work scares me as I feel it screams 'Look I have a disability!' but this could be an option to see how things go..

I think you have misunderstood Permitted Work. Permitted Work is just ordinary work that is within the working hours and earnings limits that define it. There’s nothing special or different about the work itself so I don’t see that it can scream anything. Permitted work allows you to test your ability to work while retaining your ESA and having your earnings ignored.

I know how permitted work, works but I just felt perhaps employers would just see a disability or another benefit claimant - this is my sensitive mind working overtime. I am always looking for part time work on good days, but find most of it is in retail which would be a real struggle for me given my disabilities.

frejatries

Thank you both pmlindyloo and calcotti for your responses to my questions.

I guess I am being a little hasty in jumping off ESA and into work and perhaps permitted work is the way to go for now.

At times on a bad day I feel it is impossible to work again, but some days when my mind is OK, I think I’ve got this, I want to work again.

I realise I perhaps need to ease myself back into it and that some support and guidance is the way forward.

I’ve taken the plunge and called the Job Centre Plus helpline and booked an appointment with a work coach for next week. I couldn’t stop crying when on the phone but if I don’t try, then I feel there is no hope for the future.

I’ll come back to keep you updated on how things go.

pmlindyloo

I think you might need to be kinder to yourself.
You are already caring for your dad and volunteering.  You are working!
I can understand that you are feeling a bit 'down' about it all but please do not feel that there is any shame in claiming benefits when you have physical/mental disabilities.
You say you are getting no support for your mental health.  Have you tried contacting MIND?  In some areas they provide counsellors (they do charge a small fee) so it may be worth a 'google'.
There are support groups 'out there' so, again, googling for those in your area may be worthwhile.
Yes, please keep us updated.

calcotti

Good luck to you taking this forward but please look after yourself along the way.

frejatries

I thought I would offer an update. I visited the job centre and they were really helpful. She gave me information on permitted work and referred me to a scheme my town has to help people back into work. I have to wait to see if they will accept me but the JC advisor thinks they will and that they can hopefully help me find permitted work and help with prep for interviews and confidence building.

In my infinite wisdom of wanting change and rushing I did actually apply for a part time job of 20 hours a week in the NHS and successfully got an interview which is next week for a clerical post. Obviously I am pleased my skills in completing job applications are good and that whoever shortlisted me didn't see the negative about me not being in paid work for many many years. I didn't tick the disability interview guarantee box, I wanted to see if I could secure an interview on my own merits. I think I have now decided that jumping ship from ESA to paid work might be a big risk and so ideally permitted work to try things out might be a good idea first. Therefore it is my intention to withdraw from the 20-hours NHS post later today.

I did shed some tears in the job centre it was quite anxiety provoking but I am grateful for the advice given and the advisor didn't judge me, if anything she admired how I had done the online courses and other courses over the years to keep my skills refreshed etc as well as the voluntary work I have engaged in.

So, that's an update, I'll post more as and when it happens.