chocki Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I am going back to work after being off ill for 3 months. During this time I have claimed Employment Support Allowance. Now I am ready for a return to work, I can only earn £94.88 if I still intend to claim benefits. I am only working 14 hours per week at £5.93 per hour. If for some reason I had to do some overtime (say 3-4 hours), where would I stand with ESA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I don't know what the current rules are with ESA, but I'd advise you to be extremely careful regardless of what they are. Some years ago, a relative of mine was told by the Jobcentre officials that "allowed to earn £72 a week" would be worked out on an average over a thirteen-week period. In the very first week, a few hours' overtime meant he drew £74 and his claim was stopped; it took three years for him to get it sorted out again. I'd be less concerned about whether the rules have changed since then, and far more concerned about whether the quality of information given out by the officials has changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocki Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 This is one of the things I am worried about. It has been a phased return to work and, while I am happy to do 14 hours (I think!), some weeks I might feel able to do a few more, other weeks maybe not. The last thing I want is to lose my claim and then have to battle to get it back. Like you say, can you trust what they are telling you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I'd be tempted, if your employer needs you to work overtime an occasional day, to offer to do an extra hour or two unpaid, rather than risk running into benefit difficulties. But before you do that, you'd need to find out whether it is legal or not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaky99 Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 As far as i know you are allowed to work UNDER 16 hours a week, as long as its permitted work and you dont earn over a specific amount. So you cant do much overtime, i think people think that you can work 16 hours, you cant. you can work anything under, so in your case of 14 hours, seems fine, but not alot of room for overtime. its also not flexible, you cant do say 20 hours one week and 5 the next, basically 15 hours a week max, my main point being under 16 hours a week and at my last check earnings were a max of £90 odd a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessKate Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Would you be claiming ESA as well as working? you will end up loosing your ESA as they will see you fit for work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaky99 Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Would you be claiming ESA as well as working? you will end up loosing your ESA as they will see you fit for work. Kate, ESA is replacing incapacity benefit, as its titled Emplyment support allowance, under the old incapacity rules you were allowed to work so many hours a week, as a incentive to get back into work, to get used to working again. So its possible to do some "permitted work" and not lose your benefit. There a limits on hours, and earnings, but it is an option open to people on disabilty to get back into work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocki Posted September 5, 2011 Author Share Posted September 5, 2011 Kate, ESA is replacing incapacity benefit, as its titled Emplyment support allowance, under the old incapacity rules you were allowed to work so many hours a week, as a incentive to get back into work, to get used to working again. So its possible to do some "permitted work" and not lose your benefit. There a limits on hours, and earnings, but it is an option open to people on disabilty to get back into work. Yes that's right, it would be classed as "permitted work" I am doing. A few weeks ago, I failed my medical assessment but I have appealed against it. I am not saying I am unfit for work but I am certainly not fit enough to hold down a full time job i.e. 35 hours. I lost my benefits because of the medical assessment and it took me ages to get the back. I hope everything goes brilliantly and I am soon back in full-time employment but I can't afford to lose my benefits at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmarie Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Yes that's right, it would be classed as "permitted work" I am doing. A few weeks ago, I failed my medical assessment but I have appealed against it. I am not saying I am unfit for work but I am certainly not fit enough to hold down a full time job i.e. 35 hours. I lost my benefits because of the medical assessment and it took me ages to get the back. I hope everything goes brilliantly and I am soon back in full-time employment but I can't afford to lose my benefits at the moment Hi can i ask you if you did the appeal and what happened, ???. I have just been turned down for this an am really upset, as i have an incurable illness,and so ill so many times.I haven't even left the house more than 3 times in the last 2 months. I had my medical examination, by a young lady in her early 20's, who just typed into the computer all the time i was there, and the desision was made by the job centre. They haven't had any notes from my doctors, and the examiner wasn't even qualified in my illness, can you give me any advice please:cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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