I've been offered 10 hours a week employment. What'll happen to partner's ESA? Will we move to UC?

gracimay

Hello, please could someone help me, I have tried citizens advice online chat and she couldn't help me. 

My partner claims PIP and income.related ESA support group, we have 5 children,  one of which gets middle rate care DLA, and we get child tax credits, housing benefit etc. I have been offered 10 hours at the job I left when I had my disabled son 5 years ago, but what I need to know is will we be worst off and will it trigger us having to move to universal credits. 

I will work 10 hours at 9.25 anhour a week. 
What happens to my partners ESA? I read somewhere they will take my wages minus £20, is this correct , so his esa is 181.40 a week  , so will it decrease to 88.90 a week? Or will it stop completely,  thank you for those who respond. 

And will we have to move to universal credits? 

calcotti

It will not trigger a move to UC.

Your description of what happens to income based ESA is correct. Your earnings are deducted subject to a £20 disregard. However your calculation is wrong.
10 hours at £9.25 = £92.50
£20 disregard.
earnings deduction £72.50
Existing ESA £181.40/week. Deduct £72.50/week leaves £108.90/week

Are you sure the ESA is entirely income based. Could it be a mix of contribution based and income based?

gracimay

Thank you so much  for your reply and helping me.im not sure, it doesn't mention that on the last letter. My partner isn't great with his benefits and his mum is usually the one that deals with it all, I have checked his paper work and the last letter says the following 

Living expenses for you and your partner- £117.40
Extra money because of the disabilty income guarantee £24.60
Extra money because you are in support group £39.40

So income related entitlement is 181.40
Thank you 

gracimay

calcotti said:

It will not trigger a move to UC.

Your description of what happens to income based ESA is correct. Your earnings are deducted subject to a £20 disregard. However your calculation is wrong.
10 hours at £9.25 = £92.50
£20 disregard.
earnings deduction £72.50
Existing ESA £181.40/week. Deduct £72.50/week leaves £108.90/week

Are you sure the ESA is entirely income based. Could it be a mix of contribution based and income based?

Thank you so much  for your reply and helping me.im not sure, it doesn't mention that on the last letter. My partner isn't great with his benefits and his mum is usually the one that deals with it all, I have checked his paper work and the last letter says the following 

Living expenses for you and your partner- £117.40
Extra money because of the disabilty income guarantee £24.60
Extra money because you are in support group £39.40

So income related entitlement is 181.40
Thank you


However a letter I have found from 2013 states he was at that time getting also contribution based?  

calcotti

The letter looks entirely income based but if he was getting contribution based in 2013 and has been in the Support Group ever since then he should still be getting contribution based. He can always ring ESA to check.

The significance of this is that if there is contribution based entitlement the ESA would be £114.10/week even with your earnings.

calcotti

Moderators - could you move this to ESA group and delete the duplicate post at 
https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/83680/esa-and-working#latest

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @gracimay Just to let you know, I've removed your duplicate post (thanks for flagging @calcotti) to avoid confusion.

gracimay

calcotti said:

The letter looks entirely income based but if he was getting contribution based in 2013 and has been in the Support Group ever since then he should still be getting contribution based. He can always ring ESA to check.

The significance of this is that if their is contribution based entitlement the ESA would be £114.10/week even with your earnings.

Thank you so much,I've made myself ill the last few days trying to work it out, I have to give them a decision by Monday. 
I'll ask him to give them a ring. So the most it will go down to is 108.90 a week, but we should be £20 better off a week with me working? I've done online calculators but some people say these are not very accurate and I Believe our other benefits child tax etc shouldnt go down ,  have you any idea about these benefits and if me working will affect these too? 
And we defiantly shouldn't be moved to UC? I don't think I can deal with the stress of moving over just yet 
Thanks. 

calcotti

gracimay said:  Believe our other benefits child tax etc shouldnt go down ,  have you any idea about these benefits and if me working will affect these too? 

That's more difficult to work and i would need a calculator to do it - but with the levels of income you are talking about I wouldn't expect any changes to other benefits.

gracimay said: And we defiantly shouldn't be moved to UC?

You will not need to claim UC.

calcotti

Looking at your overall benefit situation:

Does either of you claim Carer's Allowance for looking after you child with DLA? Looking at the ESA figures I assume not.
Carer's Allowance: Eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you claimed Carer's Allowance the CA would be deducted from his ESA but the ESA would have a carer premium added so overall you would get an extra £37.70/week.
As you will be earning less than £128/week you remain eligible for CA should you wish to claim it.

He has obviously been on ESA for some time. Has he looked at eligibility for PIP?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

gracimay

calcotti said:

gracimay said:  Believe our other benefits child tax etc shouldnt go down ,  have you any idea about these benefits and if me working will affect these too? 

That's much more difficult to work and would need to be done with a calculator. If he still gets income based ESA then you should still get maximum Tax Credits.

gracimay said: And we defiantly shouldn't be moved to UC?

You will not need to claim UC.

Thank you so much for taking your time is answering my questions. You have been more useful than citizens advice Honestly. Very kind of you.

gracimay

calcotti said:

Looking at your overall benefit situation:

Does either of you claim Carer's Allowance for looking after you child with DLA? Looking at the ESA figures I assume not.
Carer's Allowance: Eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you claimed Carer's Allowance the CA would be deducted from his ESA but the ESA would have a carer premium added so overall you would get an extra £37.70/week.
As you will be earning less than £128/week you remain eligible for CA should you wish to claim it.

He has obviously been on ESA for some time. Has he looked at eligibility for PIP?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

No I don't get carers , even tho I could have applied for either my partner or son, but I didn't dare change anthing as benefits confuse me and stress me out so didn't fare change anthing. My partner already gets PIP he gets enchanted care and standard mobility. 

gracimay

gracimay said:

calcotti said:

Looking at your overall benefit situation:

Does either of you claim Carer's Allowance for looking after you child with DLA? Looking at the ESA figures I assume not.
Carer's Allowance: Eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you claimed Carer's Allowance the CA would be deducted from his ESA but the ESA would have a carer premium added so overall you would get an extra £37.70/week.
As you will be earning less than £128/week you remain eligible for CA should you wish to claim it.

He has obviously been on ESA for some time. Has he looked at eligibility for PIP?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

No I don't get carers , even tho I could have applied for either my partner or son, but I didn't dare change anthing as benefits confuse me and stress me out so didn't fare change anthing. My partner already gets PIP he gets enchanted care and standard mobility. 

He has been on disabilty benefits for a very long time. His 37 now, his been on them long before I met him and that was 11 years ago.