ESA and UC - support

groundhoggirl

Hi all, 

I'm registered disabled in a support group as il never get better. I have numerous problems but I had a career (once). I rang ESA after an hour wait with my question and said I've tried to work and failed but that doesn't mean il stop trying. My work is not physical it's office or home based. So I explained there are no jobs 15.59 hours or minimum wage so what would happen if I went over and could they explain to me how UC works as im not on it. To be told no can't tell me and we don't get calls like this often. For myself it's for my mental well-being that I'd love to work. 

So I'm interested in anyone who's been in the same boat. What did you do ?  And if I did an 18 hour, how does UC work ? 

Today for example like last 3 bedridden, but where's the incentive than like myself you just try to help yourself. I had interviews for one 18 hour and one 20 hour job, now I feel so deflated. It is so isolating 

Share your stories x

Rosie_Scope

Hi @groundhoggirl, welcome to the community  

I'm not very familiar with ESA, but for Universal Credit, your wages are reported to them by your employer so you can work as many hours as you feel you can manage. For every £1 you earn from work each month, your UC payment goes down by 55p. If you're found to have Limited Capability for Work and get help with your housing costs, they disregard the first £379 that you earn before they start reducing your payments. If you don't get housing help, it's £631 before they start reducing. There's some information about it here if you'd like to read about how it's affected by wages.

I hope that makes sense, it really took a bit of brain power to get my head around it when I first started UC! I'll pop your post over to our benefits sections so more of our members can offer their experiences

poppy123456

One of the last places you should ring for advice is one of the DWP call centres. They are not benefits advisors and most of them wouldn’t have a clue. 

For ESA and permitted work, you do need to be careful because if you work or earn more than the permitted work allowance then your ESA will stop. 

Rosie has given some good advice about UC above. 

To be entitled to UC your savings/capital must be less than £16,000, otherwise you’re excluded from claiming. 

If there’s entitlement you would be entitled to the LCWRA from the start of your claim. 

Any Income Related ESA you’re claiming will stop 2 weeks after you claim UC. Any contributions based you’re claiming will continue but be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 

groundhoggirl

Advisor was no help. I'm still on old system. A job was 17 hours, I wanted to try but I'd lose my ESA and it's more than the job. I think they should raise it to 18 hours as 15.59 jobs are hard to come by. I had a career. I literally wanted to try for my mental health. Working from home in office job but unable to do it. I've had over 30 operations but doesn't mean I'm ready for the dung heap yet. Im limited of course but my brain wants to try and work. Most days anyway!! X 

poppy123456

If you don't have savings/capital of more than £16,000 then transferring to Universal Credit is the only option you have if you want to work 16 hours or more per week. 

For UC as you're in the Support Group for ESA then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. There's no maximum amount of hours you can work while claiming UC. 

You will have the work allowance too, which means you can receive a certain amount of earnings per month before the 55% deductions apply. If you claim for help with the rent it will be £379/month, if you don't it will be £631/month.