Universal Credit Back To Work

weedave111

poppy12345 said:

One other thing to think about. You mention you have arthritis, would you be able to be a painter and decorator? Climbing up and down ladders, using paint brushes and rollers?

Hi. I'm trying to keep moving so hopefully I'll be ok to do a couple of days. Seems to be worse when I'm sat around doing nothing so hoping if I keep active I might be ok? 🤞

weedave111

So if I lose the ESA will I lose the LCWR part of UC? Sorry to keep asking. Thanks for the kind words. 

poppy12345

weedave111 said:

So if I lose the ESA will I lose the LRCW part of UC? Sorry to keep asking. Thanks for the kind words. 

For your ESA to continue you must work less than 16 hours and earn no more than £143 per week. If it's more than this your ESA will end but your UC will continue, as will the LCWRA. Although as previously advised, if the work you do contradicts the reasons you're claiming LCWRA then it could go against you.

weedave111

poppy12345 said:

weedave111 said:

So if I lose the ESA will I lose the LRCW part of UC? Sorry to keep asking. Thanks for the kind words. 

For your ESA to continue you must work less than 16 hours and earn no more than £143 per week. If it's more than this your ESA will end but your UC will continue, as will the LCWRA. Although as previously advised, if the work you do contradicts the reasons you're claiming LCWRA then it could go against you.

Ok I understand now thank you.

Robbie64

An alternative in the short run to setting up as self employed and running the risk of losing your benefits could be to volunteer for a few hours a week to help out at a charity that provides painting services for e.g. elderly people who are unable to do paint and decorate their own home.

The problem you have with "taking the plunge" into work is that you run the risk of losing a lot of benefit in the long run if things don't work out. To keep your benefits intact you will either have to restrict the hours you work and the pay you get. Tthere are different rules for UC and ESA but basically if you restrict your hours to under 16 / earnings to less than £143 you will keep your ESA under the "Permitted Work" rules and if you earn less than £293 per month - £67.61 per week - your UC will remain unchanged too. Failing that you would have to work enough hours to move clear of UC - an almighty ask if you are not sure if things will work out because of restrictions due to your health. I think looking at voluntary work, at least in the short run, is probably a better idea. You may not be better off, at least financially, but at least you don't run the risk of being worse off either. It will also give you time to plan on how / if you can get back to working enough hours to make it worthwhile. Plus you may then be able to charge more than £10 an hour when you do start to work for yourself.

calcotti

Robbie64 said:... if you earn less than £293 per month - £67.61 per week - your UC will remain unchanged too. Failing that you would have to work enough hours to move clear of UC 

That seems a huge leap. If earns less than £293/month UC is unchanged. If earns more than £293 then UC will reduce by 63% of the amount over £293 but there is no reason to think there needs to be a jump clear of UC.

Robbie64

calcotti said:

Robbie64 said:... if you earn less than £293 per month - £67.61 per week - your UC will remain unchanged too. Failing that you would have to work enough hours to move clear of UC 

That seems a huge leap. If earns less than £293/month UC is unchanged. If earns more than £293 then UC will reduce by 63% of the amount over £293 but there is no reason to think there needs to be a jump clear of UC.

There would also be withdrawal of Council Tax Support which, depending on the scheme operated by the local council, would possibly increase the withdrawal of benefit rate to 83%. Most people wouldn't be much better off until they were earning a decent amount of income each month. As a self employed worker he would have to aim for £300+ per week anyway and that wouldn't cover any necessary business expenses nor tax and NI.