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ESA Support group and getting a new job

buffywin

Hi, I was wondering if anyone might know the answer to this: I am currently receiving ESA and I'm in the Support Group so I don't have to look for work because I'm not well enough at the moment. However, I have been thinking about returning to work, but I'm not sure if I'm ready. Would anyone know, if I return to work, then find I'm still not well enough to be there, can I go back to ESA Support Group, or is that lost for good? The job would be more than 16 hours and above the maximum earning limit to still claim while working.

Thank you

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Comments

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

You won't be able to reclaim legacy ESA because it has now been superseded by Universal Credit.

If you currently get SDP on top then you may be able to make a rapid reclaim for both, although that has to be done within a month, which probably isn't enough time to decide whether you can cope with working again or not.

It may be better for you to wait until you've been migrated to Universal Credit before attempting the work. It will be much easier for you to reclaim UC if you were already on UC before starting work.

buffywin

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/911212#Comment_911212

Thanks OverlyAnxious, but I can't claim UC because of my husband's job. I get ESA (support group, not SDP (not sure what SDP is, I think that's old-style ESA)), because I was off sick at work for more than 6 months and my sick pay ran out; I can't claim UC. I wonder if that means I'll lose the sick pay, even though I'm still sick

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/911216#Comment_911216

Ah I see, my apologies. That is usually referred to as New Style ESA.

I'm not sure whether there is the option of a rapid reclaim with that or not.

If not then you may have the option to start a new claim, as long as you had enough NI contributions in the past 2 years. Though it sounds like you may not have now?

Ideally you would claim Universal Credit instead, with LCW or LWCRA, but I appreciate that isn't possible in your case due to your husbands earnings. You may be able to claim PIP depending on how your conditions affect your ability to complete daily tasks, rather than work. PIP is not means tested so your husbands income does not stop that. And you can claim PIP while working, as long as the work doesn't contradict the reasons you were awarded PIP in the first place.