We really need some advice/help please!

ttsumcorn

Hi,

I'm getting pretty fed up of being stuck on employment & support allowance income based ESA.

myself and my partner are on a joint claim, we are in the support group because of my assessment of my illnesses she is healthier than myself.

I believe we are on the OLD style ESA.

I receive PIP & Housing benefit.

She receives carers allowance. 


I'm trying to figure out if I can work legally on old style income related ESA ? 


Can my partner work ?


How can we work without it affecting our current money coming in from ESA and Housing benefit ? IF we can work at all on old style ESA ?
 
I really want to find something IF we are allowed to that will allow us both to work part time or whatever the legal limit is.

I really want to become a contributing member of society.

Thank you very much in advance it is so very much appreciated.

FYI we are both in our 30's if that helps.

Alice_Holt

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

ttsumcorn

Alice_Holt said:

Hi,

Thanks for that! 

I've read it and my understanding is we can only earn £20 a week lower permitted work as we aren't being supervised by a charity etc and it's not part of a treatment program.

So essentially we are trapped onto old style income related ESA and can't escape it easily. 

It appears newer benefits like universal credit allow you to work and earn more than my benefit for example ?

Alice_Holt

ttsumcorn said:

Alice_Holt said:

It appears newer benefits like universal credit allow you to work and earn more than my benefit for example ?

      Yes, it is less restrictive under UC.

     One thing worth noting (for both ESA and UC) is to be careful that working doesn't contradict the reason for awarding SG / LCWRA. If you are working that might make the next assessment more complicated. 

ttsumcorn

Alice_Holt said:

ttsumcorn said:

Alice_Holt said:

It appears newer benefits like universal credit allow you to work and earn more than my benefit for example ?

      Yes, it is less restrictive under UC.

     One thing worth noting (for both ESA and UC) is to be careful that working doesn't contradict the reason for awarding SG / LCWRA. If you are working that might make the next assessment more complicated. 

Thanks again for your advice it looks like we are stuck on benefits forever until they boot us off and ruin our lives. 

Doesn't seem like we can prepare or work legally in any way.

Newcad

Permitted Work on ESA lets you work up to 16 hours and earn up to 16× national minimum wage (currently that's £186.50 a week).

UC lets you work more than that and still keep your LCWRA (Support Group) status

Use one of the online benefit calculators to check if you may be better off (or no worse off) moving to UC yourself NOW instead of waiting until you get a letter saying you have to move to it.

https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Spoonie_Turtle

You are allowed to work on ESA, if it's within the Permitted Work thresholds for hours (up to but less than 16hrs) and earnings.  You just don't get to keep much at all of what you'd earn.

You could do some benefits calculations to see if UC would be an option for you, financially speaking.  You can choose to claim it, don't have to wait for a migration letter.
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

On UC you can work without hours restriction, and you'd get to keep the first £404 of what you earn (between you, if you both found paid work) plus 45% of anything above that.

poppy12345

Spoonie_Turtle said:

You are allowed to work on ESA, if it's within the Permitted Work thresholds for hours (up to but less than 16hrs) and earnings.  You just don't get to keep much at all of what you'd earn.

That's not correct for the main claimant. Permitted work earnings are up to £183.50/week working less than 16 hours/week. Those earnings are ignored for ESA.

The partner named on the claim can only earn up to £20/week and for every £1 over that the ESA is deducted £1 for £1. 

Spoonie_Turtle

poppy12345 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

You are allowed to work on ESA, if it's within the Permitted Work thresholds for hours (up to but less than 16hrs) and earnings.  You just don't get to keep much at all of what you'd earn.

That's not correct for the main claimant. Permitted work earnings are up to £183.50/week working less than 16 hours/week. Those earnings are ignored for ESA.

The partner named on the claim can only earn up to £20/week and for every £1 over that the ESA is deducted £1 for £1. 

Oh my goodness, finally I understand what that £20 threshold is for then!  Thank you.

Good news for the OP wanting to work, in that case.  Less so for OP's wife.